M-WHITE 


' 


HARD    PRESSED 


HARD  PRESSED 


1Y 

FRED    M.     WHITE 

AUTHOR  OF 

"THE  CRIMSON  BLIND'' 
"THE  CORNER  HOUSE" 
"THE  YELLOW  FACT" 

ETC.,  ETC. 


NEW   YORK 

*.     F.     FENNO    &    COMPANY 

18     EAST     17th     STREET 

WARD,     LOCK    &    CO.,    LONDON 


CONTENTS 

CHAP.  PAGE 

I  A  MODERN  SPORTSMAN         .         .         .11 

II  AN  UNEXPECTED  MEETING  .         .         .18 

III  A  LIVING  FORTUNE     ....       25 

IV  A  GREAT  TEMPTATION          ...       32 
V  THE  SHADOW  OF  DOUBT      ...       39 

VI  A  TRIAL  SPIN  ON  THE  DOWNS     .         .       47 

VII  A  LEAF  FROM  THE  PAST      ...       54 

VIII  ROGUES  IN  COUNCIL    ....       62 

IX  IN  THE  TOILS      .....       70 

X  CONFESSION         .....       78 

XI  ON  THE  EDGE     .....       86 

XII  A  LION  IN  THE  PATH           ...       94 

XIII  "  AN  OFFICER  AND  A  GENTLEMAN  "     .     102 

XIV  THE  POST  CLUB           .         .         .         .no 
XV    JOLLY  &  Co 117 

XVI     THE  NOOK 124 

XVII  A  FAIR  DAY'S  SPORT  ....     132 

XVIII  AN  EVENING  VISIT      ....     139 

XIX  THE  EMPTY  HOUSE      ....     146 

9 


2138870 


io  CONTENTS 

CHAP.  PAG» 

XX  INSIDE        ......     153 

XXI  THE  EAVESDROPPERS  .         .         .         ,     160 

XXII  A  SOLDIER  OF  FORTUNE      .         .         .167 

XXIII  A  CHANGE  OF  AIR       .         .         .         .     174 

XXIV  A  STRANGE  VISITOR    ....     181 
XXV    THE  DERELICT 188 

XXVI  A  SECOND  TRIAL         ....     195 

XXVII  DRIVING  IT  HOME       ....     202 

XXVIII  HONOUR  BRIGHT          ....     209 

XXIX  ACTING  THE  FRIEND    .         .         .         .216 

XXX  AN  ULTIMATUM            ....     223 

XXXI  A  POINT-BLANK  REFUSAL    .         .         .     230 

XXXII    AN  EASY  FALL 238 

XXXIII  THE  FIVE  BASKETS    ....     246 

XXXIV  No.  5 253 

XXXV  A  POISONOUS  ATMOSPHERE           .         .     260 

XXXVI  FIELDEN  INTERVENES           ...     268 

XXXVII  BETWEEN  Two  FIRES          .         .         .     276 

XXXVIII  LOOSENING  THE  GRIP  ....     283 

XXXIX  A  DRAMATIC  EXIT       ....     291 

XL  CAUGHT  !......     298 

XLI     HOME  AGAIN 305 

XLII  FIRST  PAST  THE  POST          .         .         .312 


CHAPTER   I 

A  MODERN   SPORTSMAN 

IT  was  a  gala  night  at  the  National  Opera  House, 
and  the  theatre  was  crammed  from  floor  to 
roof,  for  Melba  was  sustaining  a  new  part,  and  all 
London  had  gathered  to  listen.  It  was  rarely 
indeed  that  so  fashionable  an  audience  assembled 
in  February.  The  boxes  were  ablaze  with  diamonds. 
On  the  grand  tier,  however,  there  was  one  box 
which  was  not  filled  with  gaily  garbed  women  and 
which  attracted  attention  by  the  fact  that  its  sole 
occupants  were  a  girl  and  two  men.  Though  she 
was  quietly  dressed  and  wore  no  ornaments  except 
flowers,  nevertheless  a  good  many  women  envied 
May  Haredale ;  for  the  box  belonged  to  Raymond 
Copley,  who  was  quite  the  last  thing  in  the  way  of 
South  African  millionaires.  He  was  a  youngish, 
smart-looking  Englishman  of  the  florid  type,  was 
becoming  known  as  a  sportsman  and,  according  to 
all  accounts,  was  fabulously  rich.  He  was  sup- 
posed to  have  discovered  diamonds  in  Rhodesia,  a 
stroke  of  fortune  which  put  him  in  a  position,  it 

was  alleged,  practically,  to  dictate  terms  to  the  De 

11 


12  HARD   PRESSED 

Beers  Company,  and  those  "  in  the  know  "  in  the 
City  declared  he  had  come  out  of  a  negotiation  for 
amalgamation  with  two  millions  of  money  in  his 
pocket. 

Be  that  as  it  may,  he  had  purchased  a  fine  old 
estate  within  twenty  miles  of  London,  and  lavished 
large  sums  upon  his  racing  stud,  and  people  began 
to  court  his  acquaintance.  He  was  on  very  friendly 
terms  with  his  near  neighbour,  Sir  George  Haredale, 
of  Haredale  Park,  which  accounted  for  the  fact 
that  the  Baronet  and  his  only  daughter  were  availing 
themselves  of  Copley's  hospitality  that  evening. 

May  Haredale  ought  to  have  been  enjoying  her- 
self. She  did  not  have  many  opportunities  for 
pleasures  of  this  kind,  for,  sooth  to  say,  Sir  George 
Haredale  was  a  poor  man.  He  had  a  constant 
struggle  to  keep  up  appearances,  and  most  of  his 
friends  wondered  how  he  managed  to  pay  the 
expenses  of  his  racing  stable.  But  the  Haredales 
had  been  kings  of  the  turf  for  a  hundred  years  or 
more,  and  Sir  George  clung  desperately  to  this 
last  vestige  of  the  family  greatness.  The  whole 
estate  was  going  to  rack  and  ruin,  the  gardens  and 
grounds  were  neglected,  the  conservatories  were 
empty,  the  carpets  and  old  furniture  were  faded 
and  worn.  But  the  stables  left  nothing  to  be  de- 
sired. How  near  they  were  to  the  verge  of  collapse 
only  Sir  George  himself  knew. 

He  had  few  rich  and  influential  friends.      He  did 


A  MODERN   SPORTSMAN  13 

not  care  for  moneyed  men,  as  a  rule,  and  so  the  old 
county  families  were  surprised  to  see  the  intimacy 
that  had  grown  up  between  him  and  Raymond 
Copley.  They  professed  not  to  understand  it,  but 
one  or  two  shrewd  observers  declared  that  May 
Haredale  was  at  the  bottom  of  it,  and  that  Copley 
was  over  head  and  ears  in  love  with  the  girl. 

It  would  have  been  strange  were  it  otherwise. 
She  was  just  the  sort  of  girl  to  attract  a  man  like 
Copley.  She  was  tall,  well  formed  and  exceedingly 
pretty,  though  cold  and  haughty  at  the  mere  sug- 
gestion of  a  liberty. 

What  she  thought  of  Copley  she  had  never  been 
heard  to  say.  She  had  not  many  friends  in  her  own 
circle.  She  was  perfectly  happy  and  contented 
so  long  as  she  had  a  good  horse  and  the  promise 
of  a  day  with  the  hounds.  Most  people  deemed 
her  rather  distant  and  reserved,  but  a  few  hinted 
that  May  Haredale  could  be  chummy  enough  when 
she  chose.  Others,  however,  had  noticed  a  great 
change  in  the  girl  during  the  past  two  years.  There 
was  a  time  when  she  had  been  one  of  the  merriest 
madcaps,  and  then,  all  at  once,  she  seemed  to  grow 
up  and  become  staid  and  dignified.  And  it  was 
not  altogether  the  weight  of  family  trouble  which 
bore  her  down,  for,  as  a  matter  of  fact,  she  had  no 
idea  how  desperate  Sir  George's  fortunes  were. 

She  appeared  on  friendly  terms  with  Copley,  but, 
though  for  the  past  twelve  months  he  had  been  a 


14  HARD  PRESSED 

familiar  visitor  at  Haredale  Park,  he  did  not  think 
that  he  was  making  much  progress  in  her  good 
graces.  Clever  as  he  was,  the  girl  managed  to 
keep  him  at  a  distance  without  wounding  his  pride, 
and  as  time  went  on  he  found  himself  more  and 
more  infatuated  with  May  Haredale. 

He  belonged  to  the  class  of  man  who  never  counts 
the  cost  of  anything  and  is  ready  to  go  any  lengths 
in  the  pursuit  of  a  fancy.  He  thought  he  had  been 
extremely  patient,  and  told  himself  earlier  in  the 
evening  that  before  the  week  was  out  things  would 
have  to  be  settled  one  way  or  the  other.  And 
he  was  not  without  weapons,  either.  Sir  George 
could  have  unfolded  a  tale  in  that  respect  had  he 
chosen  to  do  so.  The  Baronet  was  proud,  but 
there  are  times  when  pride  has  to  take  a  second 
place,  and  such  a  crisis  in  his  affairs  had  arrived. 
May  would  have  been  surprised  to  learn  that  Copley 
could  at  any  moment  sell  the  old  home  over  their 
heads  and  turn  them  out  to  shift  as  best  they 
might. 

She  sat  with  her  face  on  her  hand,  looking  at  the 
stage,  but  she  was  not  listening  to  Melba's  marvel- 
lous voice.  Her  mind  had  gone  back  to  a  somewhat 
similar  scene  two  years  ago  when  she  was  last  in 
the  same  opera  house.  How  different  things  had 
seemed  then !  How  much  happier  she  had  been  in 
those  days !  She  roused  herself  presently  to  find 
that  Copley  was  addressing  her. 


A   MODERN   SPORTSMAN  15 

"  Oh,  I  beg  pardon,"  she  said.  "  I  suppose  the 
singing  carried  me  away.  What  were  you  saying  ?  " 

Copley  uttered  something  appropriate.  There 
was  a  hard  look  in  his  eyes  as  he  took  in  the  de- 
tails of  May's  fresh  beauty.  She  was  just  the  wife 
for  him.  She  had  a  fine  appearance  and  good 
breeding  and  would  take  him  into  certain  houses 
the  entree  of  which  had  as  yet  been  denied  him. 
They  were  going  on  afterwards  to  supper  at  the 
Carlton,  and  before  he  slept  that  night  Copley  would 
know  his  fate  ;  indeed,  he  knew  it  already.  He 
had  a  kind  of  instinct  that  May  disliked  him.  But 
that,  after  all,  was  a  small  matter.  When  she 
learned  the  truth  there  would  be  no  alternative. 
That  her  dislike  might  turn  into  hatred  mattered 
nothing  to  Copley.  He  bent  down  already  with 
an  air  of  possession  which  brought  a  faint  flush 
into  May's  cheeks.  She  was  feeling  rebellious. 

:'  You  are  enjoying  it  ?  "  he  asked. 

"  Oh,  yes.  I  should  be  a  strange  creature  if  I 
didn't.  I  have  so  few  treats  like  this." 

"  Isn't  that  your  own  fault  ?  "  Copley  returned. 
"  Surely,  you  must  know  that  if  you  only  liked  to 
say  the  word " 

A  sudden  outburst  of  applause  drowned  the  rest 
of  his  speech,  but  to  all  intents  May  heard  every- 
thing that  he  had  to  say.  She  blamed  herself  that 
she  had  not  shown  this  man  earlier  that  her  feelings 
towards  him  were  merely  conventional.  And  now 


16  HARD   PRESSED 

she  would  have  to  make  up  her  mind  one  way  or 
the  other.  Copley  stood  with  a  smile  upon  his  face, 
evidently  very  sure  of  his  ground.  A  longing  to 
get  away,  to  be  alone  with  herself,  came  over 
May  Haredale.  In  a  way  she  was  grateful  to  Copley 
for  saying  no  more.  She  was  glad  when  the  per- 
formance was  over  and  they  began  to  move  towards 
the  stairs.  Here  a  stranger  bustled  up  and  touched 
Copley  on  the  arm.  As  he  turned  to  the  intruder 
his  face  changed.  May  thought  he  looked  almost 
alarmed,  but  it  was  a  trifle  and  she  only  noticed 
it  vaguely.  The  recollection  was  to  come  back  to 
her  later. 

"  One  moment,  Sir  George,"  Copley  said.  "  Would 
you  mind  waiting  for  me  in  the  vestibule  ?  It  is 
a  little  business  affair  which  won't  detain  me  five 
minutes." 

Sir  George  passed  on  with  his  daughter,  leaving 
the  two  men  together.  Copley  turned  sharply  round 
upon  his  companion. 

"  Now  what  is  it  ?  "  he  asked  curtly. 

"  Oh,  I  thought  you  would  like  to  know,"  the 
other  said.  "  I  only  got  back  last  night.  The  first 
man  I  met  this  morning  in  the  City  was  Aaron 
Phillips." 

"  You  don't  mean  that,"  Copley  exclaimed. 

"  I  do,  indeed.  It  is  a  thousand  pities  I  haven't 
managed  to  find  you  before  to-day.  I  have  been 
chasing  you  from  place  to  place  in  the  most  madden- 


A  MODERN   SPORTSMAN  17 

ing  fashion.  However,  Phillips  is  here,  and  so  I 
thought  I  would  come  and  warn  you.  No,  no,  I 
have  made  no  mistake." 

"  But  the  thing  is  impossible,  Foster.  You  know 
as  well  as  I  do  that  Phillips  was  killed " 

"  Well,  so  we  imagined.  Anyway,  the  beggar's 
back  again,  and  there's  no  getting  away  from  it. 
And  if  he  is  allowed  to  talk,  and  we  don't  square 
him " 

"  Square  him  !    Why,  it  would  cost  half  a  million !  " 

"  Well,  suppose  it  does.  Won't  it  be  cheap  at 
the  price  ?  Wouldn't  it  be  better  for  us  to  plank 
that  money  down  than  be  standing  in — but  you 
know  what  I  mean.  It's  a  most  infernal  piece  of 
ill  luck,  but,  after  all,  your  position  is  by  no  means 
a  bad  one.  You  go  everywhere,  you  are  eagerly 
sought  after.  Besides,  who  is  to  know  whether 
you  are  a  millionaire  or  a  pauper  ?  You've  got  the 
reputation  of  being  a  rich  man,  and  with  brains 
like  yours — 

"  I  can't  stop  now,"  Copley  said  hurriedly.  "  I 
have  some  people  supping  with  me  at  the  Carlton, 
and  it  is  impossible  to  put  them  off." 

The  other  man  grinned. 

"  I  understand,"  he  said.  "  I  guessed  who  the 
lady  was.  I'll  come  round  to  your  rooms  at 
half-past  twelve  or  a  quarter  to  one,  and  then  we 
can  talk  the  thing  over  quietly.  You  can  see  for 
yourself  that  the  matter  won't  keep." 

B 


CHAPTER   II 

AN   UNEXPECTED   MEETING 

MEANWHILE,  Sir  George  and  his  daughter 
were  waiting  impatiently  for  Copley.  As 
they  stood,  the  fashionable  stream  hurried  by  them. 
The  road  outside  was  crammed  with  cabs  and  'buses 
and  motors,  for  all  the  theatres  were  discharging 
their  audiences.  The  street  was  one  seething 
mass  when  Copley  joined  his  friends.  They  pressed 
together  towards  the  pavement,  and  Copley  could 
scarcely  conceal  his  annoyance  that  his  car  was  not 
in  attendance.  He  supposed  there  was  some  mis- 
understanding and  suggested  that  it  would  save 
time  if  they  took  a  cab. 

"  We  might  have  some  difficulty  in  getting  two 
cabs,"  he  said.  "  One  of  us  had  better  walk." 

"  I'll  walk,"  Sir  George  answered.  "  I  haven't 
had  any  exercise  to-day,  and  it  will  give  me  an 
appetite  for  supper." 

May  looked  up  vaguely  alarmed.  She  had  no 
fancy  for  a  drive  to  the  Carlton  in  the  company  of 
Raymond  Copley. 

"  Wouldn't  it  be  better  to  walk  along  till  we  come 
it 


AN   UNEXPECTED   MEETING  19 

to  the  end  of  the  street  ?  "  she  proposed.  "  There 
would  be  more  chance  of  getting  a  cab  when  we  are 
out  of  the  crush." 

Without  waiting  for  a  reply  she  stepped  on  to 
the  pavement.  In  his  aggressive  way  Copley 
elbowed  a  clear  path.  The  road  seemed  to  be 
fuller  than  ever  of  vehicles.  Then  there  rose  the 
quick  cry  of  a  woman's  voice,  the  sound  of  clashing 
metal,  and  before  any  one  could  realize  it  two  motors 
had  overturned.  Instantly  all  was  confusion,  and 
five  minutes  later  May  found  herself  on  the  other 
side  of  the  street  alone  and  presenting  a  somewhat 
conspicuous  figure  in  her  evening  dress  and  cloak. 

She  was  not  frightened  or  alarmed.  She  had 
too  much  pluck  and  courage  for  that.  She  thought 
the  best  thing  would  be  to  turn  down  this  dark 
side  street  and  make  her  way  to  the  Haymarket. 

She  walked  quietly  and  fearlessly  along,  the 
road  getting  narrower  as  she  went.  She  passed 
one  or  two  men  who  made  audible  remarks  upon 
her  appearance,  but  she  did  not  heed  them.  And, 
then,  almost  before  she  knew  what  had  happened, 
a  man  by  her  side  began  to  pester  her  with  remarks 
which  brought  the  blood  flaming  to  her  face.  That 
the  nighthawk  was  not  sober  did  not  tend  to  im- 
prove the  situation. 

She  looked  about  for  some  one  to  appeal  to,  and 
with  sudden  thankfulness  heard  steps  hurrying 
behind.  Next  moment  she  saw  her  tormentor  lying 


20  HARD   PRESSED 

on  his  back  in  the  gutter  with  another  man  standing 
over  him. 

"  I  am  glad  to  be  of  assistance  to  you,"  the 
stranger  said.  "  If  you  will  allow  me  to  walk  with 
you  as  far  as  the  comer  of  the  street  I  will  call  a 
cab.  I  suppose  you  got  separated  from  your  party 
and  this  fellow  followed  you." 

"  That  is  so,"  May  replied.  "  I  cannot  sufficiently 
thank  you." 

She  paused  in  the  midst  of  her  speech,  for  her 
rescuer's  face  was  shining  out  clear  and  distinct 
in  the  lamplight.  At  the  same  instant  the  stranger 
turned  and  their  eyes  met. 

"  Harry,"  the  girl  murmured,  "  Harry  !  " 

"  Well,  yes,"  the  stranger  laughed  awkwardly. 
"  This  is  rather  an  unexpected  meeting,  isn't  it  ?  " 

May  made  no  reply  at  the  moment.  She  was 
studying  her  companion  intently.  She  noticed 
how  white  his  handsome  face  was.  There  was  the 
suspicion  of  suffering  in  his  eyes.  His  dress  was 
neat,  but  worn  and  shabby,  and  yet  there  was  an 
unmistakable  air  about  Harry  Fielden  which  pro- 
claimed that  he  had  been  accustomed  to  better 
things.  He  stood  half-defiant,  half-smiling,  and 
yet  he  held  up  his  head  as  if  he  had  nothing  to  be 
ashamed  of. 

"  Where  have  you  been  for  the  last  two  years  ?  " 
May  asked. 

Harry  Fielden  shrugged  his  shoulders. 


AN  UNEXPECTED   MEETING  21 

"  It  would  be  difficult  to  tell,"  he  said.  "  In 
the  first  place,  I  tried  Australia.  But  things  were 
worse  there  than  they  are  here.  America  I  could  not 
stand  at  any  price ;  then  I  went  to  South  Africa, 
where  I  managed  to  starve.  I  had  one  slice  of 
fortune,  but  was  cruelly  used  by  a  man  I  trusted. 
And  now,  if  it  be  possible,  I  am  poorer  than  ever.  I 
am  trying  to  get  employment  at  a  stud  farm  or 
racing  stable.  It  is  the  only  thing  I  really  know." 

May  Haredale  listened  with  trembling  lips.  Ray- 
mond Copley  would  have  been  surprised  had  he 
seen  the  expression  on  her  face.  He  might  have 
been  uneasy,  too. 

"  I  am  very  sorry,"  the  girl  remarked.  "  Oh,  my 
dear  boy,  how  foolish  you  have  been  !  To  think  what 
you  wasted  !  To  think  of  that  beautiful  old  house  !  " 

"  I  try  not  to  think  of  it,"  Fielden  said.  "  I  was 
all  the  fool  you  took  me  for,  and  worse.  It  was  my 
misfortune  that  I  had  no  one  to  look  after  me. 
When  I  came  into  a  fine  property  at  the  age  of  twenty- 
one  I  had  no  knowledge  of  the  world.  And  every 
blackguard  and  sponger  who  came  along  I  accepted 
at  his  own  valuation.  Well,  it  is  an  old  story,  May 
— a  fool  and  his  money  are  soon  parted.  But, 
thank  goodness !  I  never  did  anything  to  be 
ashamed  of.  I  never  wronged  man  or  woman 
and  I  pulled  up  in  time  to  pay  all  my  debts. 
There  is  nothing  left  now  but  the  old  house,  and 
that  I  couldn't  sell  because  it  is  not  worth  any  one's 


22  HARD  PRESSED 

while  to  buy  it.  More  for  the  sake  of  sentiment 
than  anything  else  I  have  managed  to  pay  my 
subscriptions  to  my  clubs.  I  still  have  the  freedom 
of  Tattersall's  and  Newmarket,  though  I  have  known 
what  it  is  to  sleep  out  of  doors,  but  not  till  this 
minute  did  I  fully  realize  what  I  threw  away.  Ah, 
we  were  good  friends  in  those  days,  May." 

May  Haredale  nodded.  It  was  difficult  to  speak 
at  that  moment,  for  she  and  Harry  Fielden  had  been 
more  than  friends.  They  had  been  brought  up 
together  from  childhood,  and  had  been  together  at 
many  a  dance  and  tennis  party  and  many  a  clinking 
run  with  the  hounds.  Nothing  had  ever  passed 
between  them,  but  it  was  a  tacit  understanding 
that  Fielden  and  May  Haredale  would  wait  for  one 
another. 

When  the  crash  came  and  Fielden  disappeared, 
May  had  made  no  sign,  but  from  that  time  she  was 
more  sedate  and  seemed  to  have  left  her  old  life  and 
spirits  behind  her. 

"  I  had  not  forgotten  you,"  she  murmured  pres- 
ently. "  We  must  try  to  do  something  for  you, 
Harry.  I  will  speak  to  father.  And  then  there  is 
Mr.  Copley.  He  has  a  fine  establishment  near  us 
and  one  of  the  largest  racing  stables  in  the  kingdom. 
But  you  don't  know  him.  He  is  a  South  African 
millionaire  who  has  come  into  our  neighbourhood 
since  your  time." 

"  Oh,  I  have  met  some  of  them,"  FieJden  said 


AN  UNEXPECTED  MEETING^          23 

grimly.  "  They  don't  think  so  much  of  them  out 
there  as  folk  do  at  :home.  I  fancy  I  know  the 
name.  I  wonder  if  it  is  the  same  Copley  I  met  on 
the  Rand — but,  no,  that  is  out  of  the  question. 
So  you  think  he  might  find  me  something  to  do  ? 
You  don't  know  what  heartbreaking  work  it  is, 
seeking  occupation  and  finding  none.  And  I  am 
anxious  to  work,  goodness  knows.  I  am  young 
and  strong,  steady  and  trustworthy,  and  there  is  no 
man  living  who  knows  more  about  horses  than  I 
do.  I  wonder  if  you  would  mind  speaking  to  this 
man  for  me.  I've  got  no  pride  now.  I  have  had 
that  knocked  out  of  me.  But  perhaps  you  would 
not  like  me  to  come  down  into  the  old  neighbour- 
hood again.  You  might  not  care  for  it." 

"  Oh,  my  dear  boy,"  May  said  reproachfully. 
"  How  can  you  talk  like  that !  You  know  that 
there  are  some  friends  who  were  ready  to  do  any- 
thing for  you.  But  you  would  not  give  them  a 
chance.  You  disappeared  without  so  much  as 
saying  good-bye." 

"  Well,  you  can  understand  my  feelings,"  Fielden 
answered.  "  However,  I've  got  to  go  down  to  the 
old  place  to-morrow,  in  any  case.  There  are  some 
things  in  the  house  that  I  need,  and  I  shall  hope  to 
meet  Joe  Raffle.  It  was  very  good  of  you  to  take 
Joe  into  your  service.  It  was  awfully  kind  of  your 
father  to  buy  most  of  my  horses.  I  hope  there  is 
a  Derby  winner  amongst  them." 


24  HARD  PRESSED 

"  We  think  so,"  May  exclaimed.  "  We  have 
great  hopes  of  a  Blenheim  colt.  He  hasn't  been 
seen  in  public  since  the  Middle  Park  Plate  which 
he  won  handsomely  enough.  We  think  he  is  the 
best  horse  we  ever  had,  and  people  appear  to  be  of 
the  same  opinion.  If  he  doesn't  win  the  Derby  I 
don't  knoiv  what  will  become  of  us.  But  get  Raffle 
to  take  you  over  to  Mallow's  to-morrow  and  he  will 
show  you  the  colt.  It's  only  a  matter  of  a  few  hun- 
dred yards,  as  you  will  recollect,  from  our  lodge 
gates  to  Mallow's  stables.  Mallow  is  only  a  small 
trainer,  but  he  suits  us  and  is  not  expensive.  I 
wish  you  would  stay  down  for  a  day  or  two.  We 
shall  be  back  to-morrow  night,  and  my  father  will 
be  disappointed  if  he  doesn't  see  you.  And  now, 
really- 

"  I  am  sorry,"  Fielden  said.  "  I  have  no  right 
to  keep  you  talking  here.  Come  along  and  I  will 
get  you  a  cab.  And  if  I  can  manage  to  stay  at  the 
old  place  over  to-morrow  I  will  come  and  see  you. 
How  jolly  if  one  of  my  colts  should  win  the  Derby 
for  Sir  George  !  " 

There  was  a  tender  smile  on  May's  lips  and  a  dash 
of  colour  in  her  face  as  she  drove  presently  to  the 
Carlton.  Sir  George  was  waiting  with  fussy  anxiety. 
Copley  looked  disturbed  and  rather  ill-tempered. 
They  accepted  May's  explanation.  Naturally, 
they  put  down  her  heightened  colour  and  spark- 
ling eyes  to  the  excitement  of  her  adventure, 


CHAPTER   III 

A  LIVING   FORTUNE 

HARRY  FIELDEN  would  have  shirked  the 
visit  if  he  could,  but  there  was  nobody  whom 
he  could  trust  to  go  down  to  the  old  home  and  pro- 
cure the  papers  he  required.  He  was  glad  to  see 
Herons  Dyke  again,  but,  at  the  same  time,  he  was 
half  ashamed  to  meet  the  old  faces.  Many  would 
have  welcomed  him  gladly,  but  he  had  made  an 
utter  failure  of  his  life,  and  pride  stood  in  the  way 
of  meeting  these  acquaintances. 

There  was  nothing  left  but  the  house.  Long  ago 
the  estate  had  passed  into  the  hands  of  strangers. 
The  stables  had  fallen  into  decay.  The  tan  track 
round  the  park  was  overgrown  with  weeds  and  grass. 
He  was  surprised  to  find  himself  unrecognized.  A 
dozen  people  passed  him  with  no  more  than  a  casual 
glance.  He  had  forgotten  that  two  years'  "  rough- 
ing it  "  had  changed  him  from  a  handsome  boy  into 
a  stern,  resolute  man,  with  an  expression  far  beyond 
his  age.  Even  his  moustache  had  altered  him. 
It  was  true  that  May  Haredale  had  recognized  him 
readily  enough,  but  that,  surely,  was  different. 


26  HARD   PRESSED 

He  would  go  as  far  as  Haredale  Park  Farm 
and  look  at  the  horses.  He  was  all  the  more 
ready  to  do  this,  because  he  felt  assured  he  would 
pass  for  a  total  stranger.  It  was  possible  Joe 
Raffle  might  identify  him,  but,  then,  the  old 
head  groom  had  known  him  ever  since  he  could 
walk.  And  now  Joe  was  Sir  George  Haredale's 
trusted  right-hand  man  and  had  been  so  for  the  last 
eighteen  months,  since  the  death  of  his  predecessor. 
It  had  always  been  a  consolation  to  Fielden  to  know 
that  Raffle  had  gone  on  to  Mallow's,  with  the  stud 
which  had  once  been  his  property.  They  had  not 
been  a  very  brilliant  lot  and  few  of  the  horses  had 
ever  paid  for  their  keep ;  but  Raffle  believed  in 
the  Blenheim  blood  and  had  always  prophesied  that 
some  of  the  colts  would  do  great  things  at  the  proper 
time. 

Fielden  was  amused  to  see  the  suspicious  glances 
cast  at  him  by  more  than  one  of  the  lads.  Pre- 
sently Raffle  came  himself,  a  short,  sturdy  man, 
bent  with  age,  whitehaired,  but  with  cheeks  rosy 
as  a  winter  apple.  He  was  about  to  ask  Fielden 's 
business  sharply,  when  his  face  changed  and  he 
led  Fielden  to  one  side.  The  old  man  was  moved 
and  with  difficulty  held  his  voice  steady,  but  his 
keen  blue  eyes  gleamed  with  pleasure. 

"  I  never  expected  to  see  this  day,  Master  Harry," 
he  said.  "  And  one  of  those  lads  wanted  to  order  you 
off  the  premises.  Just  think  of  it !  And  they  told 


A  LIVING  FORTUNE  27 

me  you  were  dead.  I  met  a  man  in  London  who 
said  he  knew  for  a  fact  that  you  were  drowned  in 
the  Modder  in  South  Africa." 

Fielden's  face  grew  stern  for  a  moment. 

"  Your  friend  wasn't  far  wrong,  Joe,"  he  said 
grimly.  "  It  was  a  near  thing.  But  that  is  too 
long  a  story  to  tell  now.  I  came  down  on 
business,  and  I  don't  know  whether  I  was  glad  or 
sorry  to  find  that  no  one  recognized  me." 

"  Miss  May  would  have  been  glad  to  see  you," 
Raffle  said. 

"  Oh,  we  have  already  met.  That  was  an  accident, 
too.  I  told  her  I  was  coming  to-day,  and  she  gave 
me  a  cordial  invitation  to  look  at  the  horses.  I 
couldn't  resist  a  chance  like  that.  Well,  Joe,  I  hope 
that  Sir  George  has  done  better  with  the  Blenheim 
stock  than  I  did.  I  understand  he  didn't  give  much 
for  them.  I  am  told  he  bought  the  whole  lot,  lock, 
stock  and  barrel,  for  a  bagatelle.  And  now  they  say 
there  is  a  Derby  winner  amongst  them.  Is  that 
a  fact,  Joe  ?  Or  is  it  one  of  the  fairy  tales  one  is 
always  hearing  in  regard  to  turf  matters  ?  " 

Raffle  lowered  his  voice  impressively. 

"  It  is  no  fairy  tale,  Mr.  Harry,"  he  said.  "  Bar- 
ring accidents,  we  are  going  to  win  the  Derby  this 
year  with  a  colt  locally  bred  and  locally  trained. 
It  is  a  Blenheim  colt,  too,  and  if  you  hadn't  been 
unfortunate  he  would  have  been  yours.  He's  only 
once  been  seen  in  public  yet,  and  nobody  but  our- 


28  HARD  PRESSED 

selves  knows  what  he  can  do.  Still,  people  will 
get  talking  and  our  horse  stands  at  a  short  price  in 
the  betting." 

"  I  am  glad  to  hear  it,"  Fielden  said  heartily. 
"  I  am  especially  glad  to  hear  it  for  Sir  George's  sake. 
You  know  almost  as  much  about  the  family  as  I  do. 
You  know  what  Sir  George  could  do  with  the  money. 
We  don't  want  to  gossip,  but  I  know  Sir  George  is 
a  good  master  to  you  and  that  his  interests  are 
yours." 

"  That's  true,  Mr.  Harry.  I'd  do  anything  for 
Sir  George,  who  has  been  a  rare  good  master  to  me. 
But  he  ain't  you,  sir,  and  he  ain't  the  old  squire, 
either.  You  see,  I  served  under  a  Fielden  from  the 
time  I  was  ten  years  old  till  I  was  close  on  seventy, 
and  it  was  a  bit  of  a  wrench  leaving  Herons  Dyke. 
And  when  I  heard  you  were  dead,  it  seemed  to 
me,  sir,  that  I  had  nothing  else  left  to  live  for. 
I  ain't  one  to  show  my  feelings  much,  sir,  but  when 
I  saw  you  in  the  yard  just  now  I  could  have  burst 
out  crying  like  a  kid.  You  ought  never  to  have 
gone  away,  sir.  You  ought  to  have  stayed  here  and 
faced  it  out.  But,  perhaps,  you  did  well  in  South 
Africa.  Maybe  you  have  come  back  with  a  fortune. 
I'd  like  to  hear  you  say  so." 

"  I  think  I  am  rather  worse  off  than  when  I  went 
out,"  Fielden  smiled.  "  I  had  a  fortune  in  my  grasp, 
but  was  robbed  by  a  pair  of  murderous  scoundrels, 
who  will  have  something  to  answer  for  later.  And 


A  LIVING  FORTUNE  29 

now,  take  me  round  and  show  me  the  horses. 
Let  me  see  this  Blenheim  colt  of  which  such 
great  things  are  expected." 

Raffle  led  the  way  across  the  fields  to  the  neat 
yard  along  the  range  of  stables  where  Mallow  trained 
for  a  small  owner  or  two.  Whatever  the  condition 
of  the  house  and  grounds,  there  was  nothing  lack- 
ing in  the  stables.  They  came  at  length  to  a  loose 
box  a  little  apart  from  the  rest,  and  Raffle  stripped 
the  clothing  off  a  great  raking  chestnut  horse,  show- 
ing a  skin  like  satin  gleaming  in  the  sunlight.  The 
expression  on  Raffle's  face  was  almost  motherly.  His 
eyes  shone  as  he  laid  his  hand  upon  the  horse's 
glossy  neck. 

"  There,"  he  said  proudly,  "  look  at  that !  You 
are  most  as  good  a  judge  of  a  horse  as  I  am,  tell 
me  if  he  doesn't  look  all  the  way  a  Derby  winner. 
Just  cast  your  eye  over  those  shoulders,  look  at 
those  quarters.  And  a  real  tryer  he  is,  too,  and  as 
good-tempered  as  a  lamb.  I  always  knew  we  should 
do  great  things  some  day  with  one  of  the  Blenheim 
colts,  but  I  never  expected  anything  quite  as  good 
as  this. 

A  quarter  of  an  hour  later  the  two  left  the  box. 
So  far  as  Fielden  could  see,  Raffle  had  not  over- 
estimated the  chances  of  the  Blenheim  colt.  If 
everything  went  well  for  the  next  three  months, 
Sir  George's  fortunes  would  be  restored  and  there 
would  be  no  more  poverty  at  Harefield  Park. 


30  HARD   PRESSED 

Fielden  was  extravagant  in  his  praise,  but  there 
was  no  answering  enthusiasm  upon  Raffle's  part. 
He  was  moody  and  thoughtful.  There  was  some- 
thing almost  guilty  in  the  glance  that  he  turned  upon 
Fielden. 

"  What's  the  matter  ?  "  the  latter  asked. 

"  No  man  ever  yet  did  a  foolish  thing  without 
being  found  out,"  Raffle  muttered.  "  Let's  walk 
across  the  park  where  we  can  be  alone,  because  there 
is  something  I  must  say  to  you.  If  you  hadn't 
turned  up  yet,  Mr.  Harry,  it  would  have  been  all 
right,  but  seeing  you  have  turned  up,  why,  it's  all 
wrong  and  I  am  bound  to  tell  you.  When  you 
went  away,  you  left  your  affairs  in  a  muddle. 
There  was  money  coming  to  you  from  Weatherby's, 
though  perhaps  you  didn't  know  it,  and  up  to  this 
year  they  have  kept  up  your  subscriptions  to  one 
or  two  races,  the  Derby  amongst  others.  Oh,  I 
knew  it,  and  I  am  going  to  tell  you  now  why  I  kept 
the  knowledge  to  myself.  The  year  you  went  away 
so  sudden  you  nominated  more  than  one  colt  for  the 
Derby  and,  of  course,  the  money  was  all  right.  Well, 
after  you  disappeared  and  they  said  you  was  dead, 
nothing  seemed  to  matter  and  I  thought  no  more 
about  things.  Sir  George  took  over  your  'osses, 
and  it  was  only  when  this  Blenheim  colt  began  to 
shape  so  well  that  I  began  to  ask  myself  a  few 
questions.  It  was  easy  to  bamboozle  Sir  George, 
because  he  is  the  worst  man  of  business  in  the  world. 


A  LIVING  FORTUNE  31 

And  I  can  prove  every  bit  of  it,  sir ;  I  can  prove 
every  word  I  am  saying.  And  therefore  it  comes 
about  that  this  Blenheim  colt — this  one  that's  going 
to  win  the  Derby — belongs  to  you,  or  at  any  rate 
he  was  nominated  in  your  name,  which  comes  to  the 
same  thing.  I  daresay  you  will  ask  me  why  I  have 
done  this,  and  why  I  kept  the  secret,  and  I'll  tell 
you.  I  really  did  it  for  the  sake  of  Miss  May.  I 
would  do  anything  for  her,  anything  to  put  Sir 
George  on  his  legs  again.  You  see,  I  thought  you 
was  dead  and  out  of  the  way  and,  after  all  said 
and  done,  I  was  doing  nobody  any  harm  by  keeping 
my  mouth  shut.  And  yet  now  you  have  come 
back  home  again  I  feel  a  bit  of  a  scoundrel." 

"  It  seems  incredible,"  Fielden  exclaimed  ;  "  it 
is  a  strange  discovery  for  a  pauper  to  make." 

"  Well,  sir,"  Raffle  said  doggedly,  "  there  it  is, 
and  this  wonderful  chance  is  entirely  in  your  own 
hands,  pauper  or  no  pauper." 


CHAPTER   IV 

A   GREAT  TEMPTATION 

AS  yet  Fielden  could  not  realize  it.  The  thing 
was  so  unexpected  he  found  it  hard  to 
grasp  Joe  Raffle's  meaning.  He  was  too  con- 
ventional to  have  much  imagination.  He  had 
not  thought  it  possible  that  fortune  could  have 
devised  a  method  of  restoring  his  old  prosperity. 
But  after  the  first  shock  of  discovery  it  seemed 
feasible.  Similar  things  had  happened  before, 
though,  perhaps,  not  exactly  on  lines  such  as  these. 
And  now  the  position  of  things  as  they  were  at 
the  time  he  left  was  coming  back  to  him.  He  had 
a  vivid  recollection  of  the  night  when  he  first  stood 
face  to  face  with  ruin,  when  he  knew  that  he  had 
come  to  the  end  of  his  tether.  For  Harry  Fielden 
had  not  drifted  into  a  mess  with  his  eyes  shut.  He 
had  known  that  things  were  getting  desperate  and 
had  staked  pretty  well  everything  on  a  certain  race 
and  his  horse  had  lost.  When  things  came  to  be 
settled  up  there  was  just  enough  to  pay  his  creditors 
in  full.  He  recalled  how  he  sat  down  one  night 
with  pencil  and  paper  and  worked  out  the  whole 


A  GREAT  TEMPTATION  33 

thing  fairly  and  squarely.  He  had  had  friends  to 
dinner  that  evening.  It  was  daybreak  before  the 
last  hand  had  been  played  and  Fielden  found 
himself  alone  to  face  the  dreaded  disaster. 

How  clearly  it  all  returned  to  him  now  !  He  had 
not  felt  disposed  to  sleep,  but  had  gone  up  to  his 
room  in  the  silent  house  and  refreshed  himself 
with  a  bath  and  changed  his  clothes,  after  which 
he  had  come  down  to  the  dining-room  again.  He 
had  thrown  back  the  curtains  and  opened  the  win- 
dows to  admit  the  sunshine  of  a  perfect  day — the 
day  of  his  ruin  ! 

But  he  had  done  nothing  to  be  ashamed  of.  He 
had  not  disgraced  himself,  and  no  friend  or  trades- 
man was  the  poorer  for  his  rashness.  So  leaving 
his  affairs  to  the  family  solicitors,  he  quietly  van- 
ished from  the  scene  of  his  folly. 

He  did  not  know  then — indeed,  he  did  not 
know  fully  now — that  out  of  a  sum  of  money 
waiting  at  his  banker's  his  various  subscriptions 
and  racing  liabilities  were  being  paid,  for  it  had 
never  occurred  to  him  to  withdraw  the  various 
orders  he  had  given  to  his  banker. 

Obviously  Joe  Raffle  was  speaking  the  truth  as 
to  the  Blenheim  colt,  though  the  other  part  of 
the  business  still  remained  a  mystery.  But  if  he 
could  believe  his  ears  aright,  then  at  that  moment 
he  was  not  an  outcast  and  pauper,  but  one  of  the 
most  envied  men  who  had  ever  set  foot  upon 

c 


34  HARD  PRESSED 

a  racecourse.  At  the  lowest  estimate,  he  was  worth 
five  thousand  pounds.  He  could  sell  the  Blenheim 
colt  with  all  his  engagements  for  such  a  figure  be- 
fore the  day  was  out.  He  might  return  to  the  old 
house  and  restore  some  of  its  glories.  He  might 
have  enough  to  keep  him  comfortably,  and,  above 
all,  acquire  a  position  that  would  entitle  him  to  go 
to  Sir  George  Haredale  and  ask  for  the  hand  of  his 
daughter. 

This  was  all  very  well  from  one  point  of  view, 
but  there  was  another  side.  His  prosperity  would 
be  Sir  George's  ruin.  Still,  the  temptation  was 
dazzling,  and  for  a  few  minutes  Fielden  was  afraid 
to  trust  himself  to  words. 

"  You  have  done  very  wrong,  Raffle,"  he  said 
presently. 

Joe  scratched  his  head  contritely. 

"  I  know  it,  sir,"  he  admitted.  "  I  didn't  realize 
how  wrong  I  had  behaved  till  I  saw  you  come  in  the 
stable  yard,  and  you  could  have  knocked  me  down 
with  a  feather.  But  what  else  could  I  do  ?  You 
had  gone  away  and  I  heard  you  were  dead.  I 
had  to  believe  it,  because  the  man  who  told  me  gave 
me  chapter  and  verse  for  it,  and  I  felt  as  if  I  had 
lost  a  child  of  my  own.  By-and-by  I  was  com- 
fortably settled  in  Sir  George's  employ,  having  as 
much  money  as  I  needed  for  my  wants,  and  never,  so 
far  as  I  knew,  a  single  relation  in  the  world.  I  said 
nothing  about  the  colt,  because  I  hadn't  much 


A  GREAT  TEMPTATION  35 

opinion  of  it  at  first.  Then  I  began  to  get  as 
fond  of  Miss  May  as  I  used  to  be  of  you,  sir.  An 
idea  came  to  me  one  night  when  I  was  sitting  over 
my  pipe — and,  bear  in  mind,  nobody  else  knew — 
and  that  was  that,  bar  accidents,  I  had  a  Derby 
winner  in  the  stable.  For  Miss  May's  sake  I  was 
willing  to  do  much.  There  was  no  chance  of  anybody 
finding  it  out.  And,  after  all,  I  was  doing  nothing 
wrong.  You  see,  in  the  first  place,  nobody  will  be 
a  penny  the  worse.  As  to  Sir  George  and  your- 
self, there  is  no  reason  why  you  shouldn't  make  a 
large  fortune.  It  makes  no  difference  to  me,  of 
course  ;  I  am  long  past  troubling  about  that  sort  of 
thing.  But  now  that  I  know  you  are  alive  it  is 
another  matter.  Still,  the  colt's  keep  hasn't  been 
much,  and  it's  only  a  matter  of  luck  that  he  don't 
happen  to  belong  to  Sir  George.  Besides,  Sir 
George  is  expecting  to  win  a  fortune,  and  he  is  not 
the  man  to  grudge  you  your  share.  You  will  have 
to  tell  him  what  I've  told  you,  sir,  and  if  Sir  George 
wants  proofs  I  shall  have  them  ready  when  the 
time  comes." 

"  Nobody  knows  anything  of  this  ?  "  Fielden 
asked. 

"  Not  a  soul,  sir,"  Raffle  said  solemnly.  "  No- 
body even  guesses  it,  and  if  you  hadn't  turned  up 
I  should  have  gone  down  to  my  grave  with  the  secret 
unspoken.  Because,  as  I  said  before,  sir,  there's 
no  harm  done,  and  nobody  any  the  worse.  But, 


36  HARD  PRESSED 

seeing  that  you  have  come  back,  why,  the  truth 
must  be  told." 

"  And  what  will  Miss  Haredale  say  ?  "  Fielden 
asked. 

Raffle's  face  paled  perceptibly. 

"  Ah,  well,  sir,"  he  said,  "  that  won't  be  very 
pleasant.  I'd  do  anything  in  the  world  for  Miss 
May,  but  she  isn't  you,  and  that  makes  a  difference. 
Of  course,  I  know  what  you  would  do  if  you  had 
your  own  way.  You  would  just  say  nothing  about 
it  and  let  Sir  George  put  the  money  in  his  pocket. 
You  would  rather  starve  than  do  anything  you  didn't 
consider  right.  I  can  see  it  in  your  face  now,  I  can 
tell  by  your  eyes.  But  it  isn't  going  to  be,  sir. 
You'll  excuse  me  for  speaking  so  plainly,  but  I 
couldn't  rest  comfortably  in  my  grave  if  I  thought 
you  were  in  want,  when,  by  every  right,  you  ought 
to  have  a  fortune  in  your  pocket.  It's  no  use  you 
arguing,  Mr.  Harry,  if  you  don't  tell  the  truth,  I 
shall." 

The  old  man's  voice  shook  strangely  as  he  spoke. 
His  lips  were  quivering,  but  there  was  an  air  of 
determination  about  him  which  there  was  no  mis- 
taking. Nobody  knew  better  than  Fielden  how 
obstinate  Joe  Raffle  could  be.  There  was  nothing 
to  gain  by  threats,  and  sternness  would  be  worse  than 
useless. 

"  I  am  certain  you  have  acted  for  the  best," 
Fielden  said  soothingly.  "  And,  as  you  say,  there, 


A  GREAT  TEMPTATION  37 

is  nothing  wrong  in  this  little  scheme  of  yours. 
Why,  you  might  have  kept  the  colt  yourself  and 
made  a  fortune  over  him.  But,  to  use  a  pet  expres- 
sion of  your  own,  my  dear  Joe,  what  you  have 
told  me  has  knocked  me  all  of  a  heap.  I  must 
have  time  to  think  it  over.  I  should  be  sorry  to 
spoil  an  interesting  situation  like  this  by  doing 
anything  rash.  Besides,  there  is  plenty  of  time 
between  now  and  the  Derby — pretty  well  three 
months,  isn't  it  ?  Has  the  colt  any  other  en- 
gagements before  Epsom  ?  " 

"  Only  two,"  Raffle  explained.  "  And  then  he'll 
be  an  eye-opener  to  some  people.  Now  don't  you 
do  anything  foolish,  sir.  If  you  go  the  right  way 
about  it  you've  got  a  hundred  thousand  pounds  in 
your  pocket." 

"  Oh,  I'll  do  nothing  rash,"  Fielden  laughed. 
"  You  needn't  be  afraid  of  that.  But  I  must  have 
time  to  think  this  matter  over.  I  shall  stay  down 
here  a  day  or  two,  though  I  had  intended  to  go  back 
to  London  to-morrow.  I  don't  mind  so  much  now 
that  I  find  nobody  identifying  me,  and  there  are 
several  things  at  the  house  I  want  to  gather  to- 
gether. I  had  no  idea  the  old  furniture  was  left. 
I  suppose  they  didn't  sell  it  because  they  had  no 
instructions  from  me,  and  enough  was  saved  from 
the  wreck  to  pay  my  creditors  without  it.  I'll  come 
round  in  the  morning  and  see  you  again,  Joe.  To- 
night I  believe  I  am  dining  with  Sir  George.  If 


38  HARD  PRESSED 

anybody  asks  you  who  I  am,  you  had  better 
say  my  name  is  Field ;  it  sounds  like  Fielden  and 
is  easy  to  remember.  Seeing  that  I  am  so 
changed,  nobody  will  connect  me  with  the  old  family. 
Now  I  must  be  off." 

In  a  thoughtful  mood  Fielden  turned  towards 
the  old  house.  He  was  glad  no  one  recognized 
hflp,  for  the  knowledge  was  likely  to  make  his 
task  all  the  easier.  He  had  the  key  of  the  house 
in  his  pocket.  The  mansion  appeared  to  have  been 
left  exactly  as  he  last  saw  it.  There  was  not  even 
a  caretaker  on  the  premises.  The  estate  around 
Herons  Dyke  had  long  passed  into  the  possession  of 
strangers.  It  presented  a  striking  contrast  to  the 
neglected  grounds  and  grass-covered  paths  which 
surrounded  the  old  mansion  where,  for  the  last  three 
hundred  years,  the  Fieldens  had  kept  open  house 
and  dispensed  a  lavish  hospitality.  But  those 
days  were  gone  for  ever,  they  would  never  come 
back  again,  unless,  perhaps 

"  What  a  chance  !  "  Fielden  muttered  to  himself. 
"  What  a  wonderful  stroke  of  fortune !  And  yet, 
I  don't  see  how  I  can  do  it.  There  is  no  honour- 
able course  but  silence." 


CHAPTER   V 

THE   SHADOW   OF   DOUBT 

'THHERE  were  many  things  in  the  place  which 
-I-  Fielden  had  forgotten.  Here  were  boxes  of 
cigars  and  cigarettes,  while  cards  still  lay  scattered 
about  and  the  glasses  had  not  been  removed. 
Fielden  had  learnt  much  in  the  hard  school  of 
adversity,  and  he  began  to  realize  that  he  had 
about  him  the  means  to  secure  a  considerable  sum 
of  money.  Despite  the  dust  and  gloom  and  air  of 
decay,  the  library  was  intact.  Fielden  was  sur- 
prised at  this,  for  he  had  frequently  heard  his 
father  say  that  the  books  were  valuable.  Perhaps 
it  had  occurred  to  nobody  to  look  for  rare  books 
in  the  house  of  a  man  who  gave  himself  over  entirely 
to  sport,  but  here  they  were  and  possibly  a  little 
later  they  might  appear  to  advantage  in  a  London 
auction-room.  Fielden  was  not  so  sanguine  as 
he  once  had  been,  but  at  a  modest  computation  lie 
thought  they  would  fetch  at  least  a  thousand 
pounds. 

He  went  up  to  his  bedroom  and  began  idly  turning 
out  the  drawers.     At  any  rate  he  would  be  able  to 

88 


40  HARD  PRESSED 

cut  a  presentable  appearance  at  Haredale  Park, 
He  might  venture  in  the  open,  too,  for  it  was  nearly 
dark.  The  lights  of  Haredale  gleamed  hospitably 
as  he  walked  up  the  drive.  He  had  had  no 
formal  invitation,  nothing  save  May  Haredale's 
suggestion,  but  he  knew  Sir  George  well  enough  to 
be  sure  of  his  reception. 

It  all  looked  strangely  familiar  as  the  butler 
opened  the  door  and  asked  his  name.  Fielden 
knew  the  butler's  face  well,  but  it  was  plain  the 
latter  did  not  recognize  him.  Yes,  Sir  George  and 
Miss  Haredale  were  at  home.  They  had  arrived 
from  London  late  in  the  afternoon,  but,  so  far  as 
the  butler  knew,  did  not  expect  any  guest.  Still, 
so  many  people  came  and  went  to  that  hospitable 
house  that  the  advent  of  a  stranger  caused  no 
surprise  in  the  butler's  mind. 

"  If  you  will  give  me  your  name,  sir,"  he 
suggested. 

"Oh,  tell  Miss  Haredale  that  Mr.  Field  is  here. 
She  expects  me,  because " 

Fielden  broke  off  suddenly,  for  May  Haredale 
came  across  the  hall  at  that  moment.  She  smiled 
a  welcome  and  held  out  her  hand.  She  dismissed 
the  butler,  after  giving  instructions  to  him  to  take 
the  visitor's  bag  upstairs. 

"  I  was  almost  afraid  you  wouldn't  come,"  she 
said.  "  I  feared  you  would  be  too  proud  or  some- 
thing equally  absurd." 


THE  SHADOW  OF  DOUBT  41 

"  I  plead  guilty,"  Harry  Fielden  smiled.  "  Really 
I  don't  think  I  should  have  had  courage  to  come, 
only  I  found  that  not  a  soul  knew  me  with  the 
exception  of  Joe  Raffle.  I  have  passed  a  score  of 
people  to-day  whom  I  know  intimately.  But  it  is 
just  as  well,  May.  Why,  even  Mason,  your  butler, 
looked  at  me  as  if  I  were  a  perfect  stranger." 

"  But  I  recognized  you,"  May  said  quietly. 

"  Ah,  you  recognized  me,  and  I  was  glad  of  that. 
I  don't  think  I  can  tell  you  how  happy  that  made 
me.  When  we  met  in  London  I  felt  for  the  first 
time  for  more  than  two  years  that  I  was  not  alone 
in  the  world.  It  makes  one  hard  and  bitter  to  be 
always  amongst  strangers  who  care  nothing  for  one, 
to  feel  that  if  one  dropped  dead  in  the  street  no  one 
would  feel  even  a  pang  of  regret.  But  I  ought  not 
to  be  talking  like  this.  There  is  one  thing  I  am 
going  to  ask  you  and  Sir  George,  and  that  is,  to 
keep  my  identity  a  secret.  It  is  possible  I  may  be 
here  a  good  deal  off  and  on,  and  that  is  why  I  am 
going  to  drop  the  last  two  letters  of  my  name  and 
call  myself  Field." 

It  was  with  mixed  feelings  that  Fielden  stood  by 
his  dressing-table  adjusting  his  black  evening  tie 
an  hour  later.  His  surroundings  were  bringing  back 
his  boyhood's  associations  vividly,  every  object  was 
growing  familiar.  It  was  just  the  same  when  he 
came  down  to  the  drawing-room  and  found  Sir 
George  waiting  him. 


42  HARD   PRESSED 

Here  was  a  change,  at  any  rate.  Those  around 
him  daily  might  not  have  seen  much  difference,  but 
to  Fielden  Sir  George  had  grown  old  and  bent. 
There  were  lines  of  care  about  his  eyes  and  his 
manner  was  painfully  nervous.  In  this  old  man  triers 
was  no  suggestion  of  one  of  the  finest  sportsmen 
and  most  fearless  riders  in  the  county.  Fielden 
had  learnt  much  in  the  light  of  bitter  experience. 
He  knew  great  mental  anxiety  when  he  saw  it, 
and  he  needed  no  one  to  tell  him  that  he  was  face 
to  face  with  it  now.  But  Sir  George's  welcome 
was  hearty.  The  ring  in  his  voice  and  the  pressure 
of  his  hand  left  nothing  lacking  in  the  way  of 
sincerity. 

"  Ah,  my  boy,  this  is  an  unexpected  pleasure,"  he 
said.  "  I  don't  think  you  really  know  how  glad  I 
am  to  see  you.  You  are  almost  the  only  one  of  the 
old  stock  left  except  ourselves.  One  by  one  they 
have  passed  away,  and  of  the  score  of  houses  where 
I  used  to  go  as  a  boy  there  isn't  one  to-day  which  is 
not  inhabited  by  new  people.  Most  of  them  are 
sportsmen  of  a  sort,  but  they  haven't  the  old  feeling 
for  it.  Well,  perhaps  I  am  a  bit  old-fashioned. 
And  how  you  have  changed  !  I  give  you  my  word 
for  it,  I  should  not  have  known  you  from  Adam. 
Yet  it  seems  only  the  other  day  that  you  came 
into  one  of  the  finest  properties  and  proceeded  to  get 
rid  of  it  after  the  manner  of  your  kind.  How  we 
missed  you  !  But  it  is  no  use  crying  over  spilt  milk. 


THE  SHADOW  OF  DOUBT  43 

I  hoped  at  one  time  that  you  and  May — God  bless 
me,  what  am  I  talking  about !  May  tells  me  that 
you  don't  want  to  be  known  by  your  own  name, 
and  that  we  are  to  speak  of  you  as  Mr.  Field.  Per- 
haps it  is  natural.  Now  you  are  here,  you  had 
better  stay  a  few  days,  and  I'll  see  if  I  can  find  some- 
thing for  you  to  do.  A  friend  of  mine  lives  close 
by,  Mr.  Raymond  Copley.  He  is  new  since  your 
time,  is  very  rich,  has  a  fancy  to  keep  a  stable, 
and  is  looking  for  some  one  he  can  rely  upon  to 
take  the  entire  management.  He  has  had  one 
or  two  men  who  have  robbed  him.  I  am  sure  I 
can  recommend  you ;  with  all  your  folly  and 
extravagance  you  never  forgot  what  is  due  to  your 
name." 

"  You  are  very  good,  sir,"  Fielden  answered. 
"  The  post  you  speak  of  would  be  a  perfect  boon  to 
me.  Besides,  it  is  about  the  only  thing  I  am  capable 
of  doing  properly.  But  who  is  Mr.  Copley  and 
where  did  he  make  his  money  ?  " 

"  South  Africa,  I  believe.  He  is  a  millionaire 
with  a  taste  for  sport,  not  exactly  what  you  would 
call  a  gentleman,  but  I  believe  him  to  be  a 
thoroughly  good  fellow.  I  don't  mind  telling  you, 
between  ourselves,  that  I  am  under  obligations 
to  him.  Things  haven't  gone  very  well  with  me, 
and  I  don't  know  how  I  should  have  pulled  through 
if  it  hadn't  been  for  Copley.  He  has  been  very 
generous  and  I  only  wish  May  could  be  more  cordial 


44  HARD  PRESSED 

towards  him.  I  can't  think  why  she  doesn't  like 

the  man.  It  would  be  a  splendid  thing  for  her 

But,  there.  I  am  rambling  again." 

Fielden  turned  his  face  aside.  He  was  feeling  a 
strange  pain  at  his  heart  which  he  could  not  account 
for.  But  he  understood  what  Sir  George  intended 
to  convey.  Beyond  all  doubt,  Sir  George  Haredale 
was  under  great  obligations  to  this  newcomer  and 
was  warning  Fielden  there  must  be  no  more  nonsense 
between  May  and  himself.  He  was  telling  the 
latter  precisely  what  his  hopes  for  his  daughter 
were. 

Of  course  there  was  nothing  in  it  that  Fielden 
could  resent.  He  had  had  his  opportunity  and 
deliberately  lost  it.  It  was  only  during  the  last 
twenty-four  hours  that  he  realized  what  his  feelings 
towards  May  were.  If  he  had  not  been  a  fool,  he 
would  be  rich  and  prosperous  at  this  moment,  with 
May  for  his  wife. 

The  strange  sensation  was  with  him  all  through 
dinner.  He  tried  in  vain  to  shake  it  off.  It  was  not 
a  cheerful  meal,  on  the  whole,  for  every  now  and 
then  Sir  George  lapsed  into  moody  silence  and 
May's  gaiety  was  fitful.  The  evening  dragged  on 
till  ten  o'clock  before  Sir  George  came  into  the 
drawing-room  with  slightly  flushed  face  and  eyes 
that  were  too  bright.  May  looked  anxiously  at  her 
father.  So  here,  Fielden  thought,  was  another 
skeleton  in  the  closet.  The  discovery  was  a  fresh 


THE  SHADOW  OF  DOUBT  45 

stab  to  him.  His  own  selfishness  and  folly  were  a 
reproach.  It  was  a  relief  when  the  door  bell 
clanged  and  the  butler  announced  that  Mr.  Copley 
would  like  to  speak  to  Sir  George. 

"  Ask  him  in,"  Sir  George  said  unsteadily. 

Fielden  glanced  at  May.  He  could  see  that  her 
face  had  changed  slightly  and  her  eyes  grown  hard 
and  cold.  Then  the  door  opened  and  Copley  came 
in,  big  and  self-important,  with  the  air  of  a  man 
entirely  at  home.  There  was  something  in  his 
appearance  which  jarred  upon  Fielden,  something 
that  aroused  a  pang  beyond  mere  j  ealousy .  As  Copley 
bent  over  May  Haredale's  hand  and  murmured 
something  which  he  intended  for  a  compliment, 
Fielden  started  back  for  a  moment. 

"  This  is  my  young  friend,  Mr.  Harry  Field," 
Sir  George  said.  "  Harry,  let  me  introduce  you 
to  Mr.  Copley.  I  think  I  have  found  the  very  man 
you  want  for  your  stables,  Copley.  He  is  the  son 
of  an  old  pal  of  mine  and  has  all  the  game  at  his 
finger-tips." 

Copley  threw  a  half-contemptuous  glance  at 
Fielden  and  did  not  hold  out  his  hand,  for  which 
discourtesy  Harry  felt  grateful. 

"  Excuse  me  a  moment,"  Fielden  said.  "  I  have 
forgotten  something.  I'll  be  back  presently." 

With  his  head  in  a  whirl  Fielden  walked  into  the 
library.  He  was  fighting  hard  for  the  mastery  of 
himself. 


46  HARD   PRESSED 

"  Good  God  !  "  he  muttered,  "  so  it's  that  black- 
guard !  What  a  blessing  he  doesn't  know  me  by 
sight !  Raymond  Copley  and  May  Haredale  !  Not 
if  it  costs  me  my  life  I " 


CHAPTER   VI 

A  TRIAL   SPIN    ON  THE   DOWNS 

HARRY  FIELDEN  spent  a  sleepless  night 
and  was  glad  when  it  was  time  to  come  down 
to  breakfast.  He  congratulated  himself  upon  the 
way  he  had  restrained  himself  on  the  previous  even- 
ing. He  had  even  forced  himself  to  be  polite  to 
Copley,  though  his  one  impulse  had  been  to  take  him 
by  the  throat  and  choke  the  life  out  of  him.  His 
very  presence  in  a  house  like  Haredale  Park  was  an 
outrage.  He  wondered  what  Sir  George  would  say 
if  he  had  known  the  real  character  of  his  guest. 
Possibly  Fielden  would  have  spoken  freely,  had  not 
he  remembered  what  Sir  George  had  said  as  to  the 
relationship  existing  between  himself  and  Raymond 
Copley.  Plainly  the  master  of  Haredale  Park  was 
under  the  scoundrel's  thumb.  No  doubt  he  had 
lent  him  money,  and  probably  the  price  of  the 
assistance  was  to  be  May  Haredale's  hand.  There 
had  been  no  mistaking  Copley's  manner  towards 
her.  His  air  of  cool  proprietorship  had  sent  the  blood 
humming  in  Fielden's  head  and  caused  it  to  tingle 
in.  his  finger-tips.  Harry  had  to  smile  complacently 

47 


48  HARD   PRESSED 

whilst  every  instinct  in  his  nature  was  crying 
out  against  the  villain's  presence.  He  had  only 
to  speak  and  he  knew  that  Sir  George  would  do 
his  duty  at  any  cost. 

But  he  dared  not  speak.  He  had  no  desire  to 
ruin  the  man  who  had  been  so  kind  to  him.  It  was 
far  better  to  play  a  waiting  game.  But  come  what 
might,  May  Haredale  should  never  marry  that  man. 
Sir  George  should  be  ruined  a  thousand  times  over 
and  Haredale  Park  pass  into  the  hands  of  strangers 
before  that  catastrophe  occurred. 

It  had  been  a  relief  to  hear  Copley  say  that  he 
would  not  be  down  again  till  the  end  of  the  week. 
Therefore  he  had  three  days  in  which  to  think  of 
some  scheme.  It  was  a  bright,  fresh  February 
morning,  with  a  touch  of  frost  in  the  air,  but 
the  diamonds  were  growing  soft  and  yielding  to  the 
sunshine.  May  Haredale  was  in  excellent  spirits. 
It  was  impossible  not  to  catch  the  infection  of  her 
gaiety.  Fielden  put  trouble  on  one  side.  There 
would  be  time  for  that  later,  he  thought,  as  they 
rode  out  together  over  the  Downs.  They  were  out 
again  in  the  afternoon  and  it  was  dark  before  they 
returned.  It  was  like  old  times  for  Fielden  to 
feel  a  good  horse  under  him.  The  exercise  and 
motion  drove  all  gloomy  thoughts  away.  Still,  from 
time  to  time  the  shadow  of  distress  lay  heavily  upon 
his  shoulders. 

He  strolled  round  to  Mallow's  after  tea  to  have  a 


A  TRIAL  SPIN  ON  THE  DOWNS      49 

pipe  and  chat  with  Raffle.  Everything  appeared  to 
be  going  well,  and  the  old  man  was  in  high 
glee. 

"  We  shall  try  the  colt  at  daybreak,"  he  said. 
"  Would  you  like  to  come  and  have  a  look,  Mr. 
Harry  ?  I  daresay  there  will  be  one  or  two  people 
about,  but  I  don't  think  they'll  learn  much.  I've 
got  a  plan  of  my  own  on  foot,  and  after  to-morrow 
I  shouldn't  be  surprised  if  you  found  the  colt  going 
a  little  queerly  in  the  betting." 

Raffle  chuckled  as  he  spoke,  but  refused  to  be 
more  explicit. 

"  Oh,  never  you  mind,  sir,"  he  said.  "  There  are 
some  things  it  is  as  well  not  to  talk  about.  If  you 
like  to  turn  out  to-morrow  as  soon  as  it  is  light,  I 
think  I  can  show  you  something  worth  looking 
at." 

Fielden  nodded  approvingly.  He  woke  fairly 
early  with  the  pale  dull  light  of  the  wintry  morning 
streaming  through  his  window,  crept  downstairs 
into  the  deserted  hall  and  let  himself  out  by  a  side 
door.  The  grey  mist  hanging  over  the  Downs 
lifted  as  the  sun  began  to  make  his  influence  felt. 
A  little  later  Fielden  discerned  a  group  of  figures 
faintly  sketched  against  the  skyline,  and  could  see 
two  horses  in  their  clothing.  Then  he  picked  out 
the  form  of  Joe  Raffle.  There  was  a  stretch  of  turf 
between  two  banks  of  gorse,  and  the  horses  began 
to  move  along  the  flat  expanse.  Fielden  strolled 

D 


50  HARD  PRESSED 

up  to  the  group,  and  was  amused  to  see  the  suspicious 
glances  turned  in  his  direction. 

"  That's  all  right,  Mr.  Mallow,"  Raffle  muttered. 
"  This  gentleman  is  a  friend  of  mine.  Now,  sir, 
will  you  go  on  to  the  top  of  the  Downs  and  wait  for 
us  by  the  boundary  stone  ?  That  will  be  the  winning 
post.  No  reason,  I  suppose,  to  ask  you  if  you  know 
which  is  the  colt  and  which  is  the  old  horse.  That's 
pretty  plain  even  in  this  light." 

"  That's  right  enough,"  Fielden  smiled. 

He  walked  rapidly  towards  the  improvised 
winning-post,  unslung  his  glasses  and  fixed  them 
steadily  upon  the  little  specks  in  the  distance. 
Presently  they  made  a  move  in  his  direction  and 
grew  larger  as  they  came  along.  Fielden  could 
hear  the  thud  of  hoofs  upon  the  turf.  Then  they 
flashed  by  him,  the  old  horse  lengths  ahead.  It  came 
as  a  surprise  to  the  watcher,  for  he  had  expected  an 
entirely  different  result.  What  was  Mallow  doing  ? 
What  scheme  had  that  wily  man  in  his  brain  ? 
Fielden  stepped  aside  into  the  gorse,  so  as  to  be  out 
of  the  wind  which  had  already  extinguished  two 
matches  he  had  used  in  his  attempt  to  light 
a  cigarette.  As  he  stooped,  he  heard  voices  from 
somewhere  close  by.  The  voices  carried  clear  enough 
in  the  silence  of  the  spot,  and  Fielden  could  hear 
every  word.  With  an  instinct  of  caution  which  he 
could  not  have  explained  he  crouched  down  behind 
the  thick  shelter  of  a  bush. 


A  TRIAL  SPIN  ON   THE  DOWNS       51 

He  thought  he  had  recognized  one  of  the  voices 
and  now  he  felt  sure  of  it.  It  was  Raymond  Copley 
beyond  a  doubt.  Who  the  other  man  was  Fielden 
had  not  the  slightest  idea. 

"  Now  what  does  that  mean  ?  "  Copley  was  asking. 

"  What  does  it  mean  ?  "  the  other  man  exclaimed 
with  a  sneer.  "  Why,  it  is  as  plain  as  the  nose  on 
your  face.  I  felt  certain  what  was  going  to  happen 
when  I  advised  you  to  come  here  this  morning.  The 
boy  told  me  there  was  going  to  be  a  trial,  and  I 
wanted  you  to  see  for  yourself.  You  are  always  too 
sanguine  in  these  matters,  Copley,  and  that's  a  fact. 
Now  what  do  you  think  of  the  chances  of  your 
friend  Sir  George's  colt  ?  " 

"  I  don't  know  what  to  say,"  Copley  muttered. 
"  The  colt  seemed  to  be  beaten  fairly  and  squarely. 
I  suppose  there  is  no  faking  about  it." 

"  Faking  !  Sir  George  and  his  trainer  between 
them  haven't  got  brains  enough  for  that.  They 
belong  to  the  old-fashioned  school  who  pride  them- 
selves upon  doing  everything  above  board.  And  a 
precious  good  job  for  you  and  me,  because  they  find 
the  money  to  keep  and  train  horses  and  we  sail  in 
when  it  comes  to  making  a  book.  Perhaps  you're 
sorry  you  had  anything  on  the  Blenheim  colt." 

"  Oh,  you  were  quite  right  to  bring  me  here," 
Copley  replied.  "  I  owe  you  one  for  this  day's 
work.  But  the  worst  of  it  is  I  have  backed  that 
horse  for  a  big  stake,  just  when  I  don't  know  where 


52  HARD   PRESSED 

to  turn  for  ready  money.  If  anybody  knew  my 
present  position,  a  good  many  people  would  be 
anxious  to  have  an  interview  with  Raymond  Copley, 
the  South  African  millionaire.  Then  there's  that 
scoundrel  Phillips  to  be  reckoned  with.  But  come 
along,  let  us  go  before  anybody  sees  us.  After 
breakfast " 

"  Breakfast  be  hanged !  "  the  other  man  broke  out 
impatiently.  "  What's  the  use  of  worrying  about 
breakfast  with  a  bit  of  information  like  this  in  our 
pockets  ?  The  delay  of  half  an  hour  may  make 
all  the  difference  in  the  world.  Besides,  there 
may  be  a  dozen  other  people  watching  for  all  we 
know." 

"  Well,  what  do  you  suggest  ?  "  Copley  asked. 

"  Suggest,  who  wants  to  suggest  anything  ? 
What  we  have  to  do  is  to  get  back  to  your  place  as 
soon  as  possible  and  take  the  motor  straight  to  town. 
By  ten  o'clock  we  can  get  our  commission  on  the 
market  at  our  own  price.  Then  we  can  have  as 
much  breakfast  as  you  like.  That's  the  worst  of 
you,  Copley.  You  always  think  everything  can 
wait.  Now  come  on." 

The  voices  died  away  in  the  distance,  and  then 
Fielden  straightened  himself  again.  He  was  some- 
what mystified  by  what  he  had  seen.  He  was 
puzzled  to  know  what  Joe  Raffle  and  Mallow  were 
driving  at.  But  no  doubt  the  old  man  would  tell 
him  at  the  first  opportunity.  Some  clever  scheme 


A  TRIAL  SPIN  ON   THE  DOWNS       53 

was  in  the  wind.  It  was  just  possible,  too,  that 
Raffle  expected  that  Copley  and  his  friend  would  be 
there.  It  was  more  than  possible  that  Raffle  knew 
the  class  of  scoundrel  he  had  to  deal  with.  The 
old  man  was  coming  down  the  wide  stretch  of 
turf,  and  Fielden  looked  eagerly  towards  him.  As 
he  vaulted  a  patch  of  gorse,  his  left  foot  dropped 
on  something  soft,  like  a  bundle,  and  he  was  thrown 
violently  to  his  knees.  Then  he  turned  to  find  that 
he  had  stumbled  upon  the  figure  of  a  man  lying  at 
the  foot  of  the  gorse  bush,  snugly  rolled  up  in  a 
railway  rug.  Here  was  another  tout,  beyond  doubt, 
another  of  the  hateful  tribe  wliich  has  always  been 
the  detestation  of  every  racing  man.  Fielden 
turned  upon  him  savagely  and  demanded  what  he 
was  doing  there.  He  bent  over  the  stranger  threat- 
eningly, and  the  latter  rose  to  his  feet. 

"  Keep  your  temper,"  he  said.  "  I'm  doing  no 
harm.  I'm  not  the  only  one  who  has  earned  a 
bit  on  the  Downs  this  morning.  Hands  off,  please. 
Why,  bless  my  soul !  if  it  isn't  Mr.  Fielden." 

Harry  stared  in  amazement  at  the  mention  of 
his  name.  For  a  moment  he  did  not  recognize 
the  dark  unshaven  features  of  the  man.  They 
seemed  familiar,  yet  somehow  he  failed  to  connect 
them  with  time,  or  space,  or  locality. 

Then  it  suddenly  came  to  him. 

"  Aaron  Phillips !  "  he  exclaimed.  "  Now  is  it 
Luck  that  has  sent  you  here,  or  Coincidence  ?  " 


CHAPTER   VII 

A  LEAF  FROM   THE   PAST 

AARON  PHILLIPS  was  standing  up  with  some- 
thing like  a  smile  upon  his  face.  He  was  a 
short,  slim  person,  swarthy  and  foreign-looking, 
except  for  the  pair  of  keen  blue  eyes  which  bespoke 
the  Anglo-Saxon  in  his  blood.  From  the  roots  of 
his  hair  across  to  his  left  temple  was  a  long,  angry 
red  furrow  which  looked  like  a  comparatively 
freshly-healed  wound.  As  to  the  rest,  he  was  fairly 
well  dressed,  with  that  indescribable  air  of  nattiness 
which  usually  pertains  to  those  who  belong  to  the 
genus  "  horsey." 

"  Glad  to  meet  you,  Mr.  Fielden,"  he  grinned. 

"  I  shall  be  obliged  if  you  won't  use  that  name 
here,"  Harry  replied.  "  For  the  present  my  name 
is  Field,  and  I  want  you  not  to  forget  it.  But  how 
did  you  manage  to  get  home  again  ?  I  thought 
you  were  dead." 

Phillips  indicated  the  scar  on  his  forehead. 

"  It  was  a  near  thing,  Mr.  Fielden,  I  beg  pardon, 
Field.  It  wasn't  the  fault  of  those  scoundrels,  I 
can  tell  you.  They  left  me  for  dead,  and  if  I  hadn't 


A  LEAF  FROM  THE  PAST  55 

been  picked  up  by  some  of  the  boys  I  should  have 
died  of  starvation  on  the  veldt.  As  it  was,  I  had  a 
very  close  shave,  and  so  did  Copley  and  Foster,  for 
the  matter  of  that.  Our  friends  chased  them  all  across 
the  Colony  and  how  they  managed  to  escape  was 
a  mystery  to  me.  Still,  perhaps  it  is  as  well.  There 
are  more  ways  than  one  of  taking  revenge." 

The  little  man's  eyes  gleamed  as  he  spoke.  He 
glanced  meaningly  at  Fielden  and  jingled  a  few 
coppers  in  his  pocket. 

"  Make  them  pay  for  it,  you  mean,"  Fielden 
smiled. 

"  That's  it,  sir,  you've  got  it  first  time.  Now,  as 
you  know  perfectly  well,  there  are  a  dozen  or  more 
people  out  yonder  who  would  give  a  good  round 
sum  to  have  Copley  on  the  end  of  a  rope,  or  within 
reach  of  a  revolver  shot.  They  are  not  the  sort  to 
give  information  to  the  police,  because  that  is  not 
the  way  we  used  to  do  things.  Still,  if  I  like  to 
open  my  mouth  widely  enough  I  could  make  it 
deuced  hot  for  Copley  &  Co.  I  could  have  them 
conveyed  to  Cape  Town,  and  it  wouldn't  take  me 
long  to  find  evidence  enough  to  give  those  two  chaps 
ten  years  on  the  Breakwater.  Yes,  sir,  I'd  have 
done  it,  too,  but  there's  a  better  way  than  that.  It 
took  me  the  best  part  of  a  year  or  more  to  scrape 
enough  money  together  to  pay  my  passage  home. 
I  had  heard  some  queer  stories  about  Copley,  and 
I  wanted  to  find  out  if  they  were  true.  What  do 


56  HARD   PRESSED 

I  see  when  I  reach  London  ?  Why,  Copley  with 
a  set  of  offices  in  the  city— Copley  with  a  suite  of 
rooms  at  a  palatial  hotel— Copley  with  a  place  in 
the  country  and  a  string  of  race-horses.  Oh,  I  tell 
you,  Mr.  Fielden— Field,  I  mean— I  rubbed  my 
hands  when  I  heard  of  it.  Thinks  I  to  myself, 
'  This  is  a  better  game  than  handing  Copley  over  to 
the  South  African  police.'  I  don't  quite  know  yet 
how  Copley  has  managed  it,  but  here  he  is  ruffling 
it  with  the  best,  spending  money  like  water,  and 
going  to  marry  the  daughter  of  a  baronet  in  these 
parts." 

Fielden 's  face  flushed  angrily.  He  winced  at  this 
home  thrust  on  Phillips'  part.  So  already  people 
were  coupling  May  Haredale's  name  with  Copley. 
It  had  not  occurred  to  him  that  things  had  gone 
as  far  as  that.  However,  Phillips  could  not  be  ex- 
pected to  know  this.  He  was  merely  innocently 
repeating  local  gossip. 

"  I  suppose  you  mean  to  have  some  of  this  money  ?" 
he  asked. 

"  If  you  don't  mind  my  using  the  expression, 
I  am  going  to  blackmail  Copley.  I  am  not  afraid 
of  the  blackguard  here.  There  is  no  chance  of  his 
trying  on  any  of  his  murderous  tricks  in  England. 
He  knows  I  have  come  back,  but  as  yet  I  have  not 
waited  upon  him.  I  have  had  a  hint  to  call  from 
Foster,  but  I  am  not  taking  any  of  that,  thank  you. 
You  don't  catch  me  dropping  into  a  police  trap 


A   LEAF  FROM  THE  PAST  57 

with  a  chance  of  being  prosecuted  and  hustled 
out  of  the  country  before  I  know  where  I  am- 
When  I  do  strike  it  will  be  in  a  different  way  alto- 
gether. For  the  present,  I  have  been  looking 
around  asking  questions,  because,  you  see,  it  will  be 
of  considerable  advantage  to  me  to  find  out  where 
Copley  is  getting  his  money.  That  he  is  earning  it 
honestly  I  don't  believe.  He  couldn't  do  it  if  he 
wanted  to.  He  is  the  sort  of  blackguard  who  would 
rather  make  five  pounds  dishonestly  than  a  tenner 
by  legitimate  business." 

*'  I  suppose  you  never  found  those  plans  ?  " 
Fielden  asked. 

Phillips  swore  heartily. 

"  Never,  sir,"  he  said.  "  They  were  in  my 
portmanteau,  as  you  know.  T  had  the  portmanteau 
in  my  possession  when  those  blackguards  attacked 
me,  and  they  had  to  levant  without  it,  so  closely 
were  they  pressed.  But  when  I  was  well  again  I 
asked  for  my  baggage  and  no  one  could  tell  me  what 
had  become  of  it.  It  vanished  in  a  most  mysteri- 
ous manner.  If  you  ask  me,  the  portmanteau 
was  stolen  by  one  of  those  thievish  Kaffre  boys.  It 
makes  me  wild  when  I  think  of  it.  Probably  it 
is  concealed  in  a  Kaffre  hut.  In  the  old 
portmanteau  is  a  scrap  of  paper  which  is  worth 
hundreds  of  thousands  to  us.  I  say  us,  because  it 
is  yours  just  as  much  as  it  is  mine.  I  don't  belong 
to  your  class,  Mr.  Fielden,  but  you  played  the  game 


58  HARD  PRESSED 

and  were  always  a  white  man.  And  if  those  paper? 
ever  do  come  to  hand,  I  shall  do  the  fair  thing  by 
you.  It  doesn't  follow  because  I  happen  to  be  the 
son  of  a  sporting  publican  that  I  don't  know  the 
difference  between  right  and  wrong.  But  what's 
the  good  of  worrying  about  that  ?  We  shall  never 
see  those  papers  again,  and  as  far  as  we  are  con- 
cerned that  diamond  mine  might  never  have  existed. 
But  what  are  you  doing  here  1  " 

"  I  used  to  live  close  by,"  Fielden  explained. 
"  Most  of  this  was  once  my  property.  Sir  George 
Haredale's  trainer  employs  an  old  servant  of  mine 
and  I  came  out  this  morning  to  see  that  trial. 
I  might  ask  you  the  same  question." 

Phillips'  blue  eyes  twinkled. 

"  Bit  of  a  disappointment,  wasn't  it  ?  "  he  asked. 

"  What  do  you  know  about  it  ?  "  Fielden  demanded. 

"Oh,  well,  sir,  we  are  not  partners  in  this  job, 
at  any  rate.  If  you  like  to  keep  your  counsel, 
I  am  perfectly  willing  to  keep  mine.  Old  Raffle  is 
as  straight  as  they  make  'em,  but  he  is  a  downy  old 
fox  all  the  same,  and  pretty  neatly  he  drew  the 
feather  over  Copley's  eye  this  morning.  Oh,  yes,  I 
heard  all  those  blackguards  had  to  say  ;  in  fact,  I 
followed  them  here.  I  am  glad  I  came,  because  I 
heard  something  that  confirmed  my  suspicions." 

''  You  mean  as  to  Copley's  movements  ?  " 

"  To  be  sure.  I  wanted  to  know  where  Copley 
is  getting  his  money.  I  know  he  isn't  paying  his 


A  LEAF  FROM  THE  PAST  59 

tradesmen,  but  that  doesn't  matter,  for  a  man  with 
a  reputation  for  wealth  can  get  as  much  credit  as  he 
likes.  But  Copley  is  flying  at  high  game  and  must 
have  the  command  of  a  good  deal  of  ready  cash. 
Now  where  does  it  come  from  ?  What  sort  of  a 
swindle  is  on  ?  Why  were  they  so  anxious  to  watch 
the  trial  of  the  Blenheim  colt  this  morning  ?  And, 
by  the  way,  Mr.  Fielden,  you  must  give  old  Raffle 
a  hint  to  keep  his  eye  on  the  stable  lads.  Some- 
body has  been  betraying  confidence.  It  doesn't 
matter  this  time,  because  Copley  was  fooled  this 
morning  as  easily  as  if  he  had  been  a  schoolboy.  But 
I  am  getting  a  bit  away  from  the  point.  I  was  going 
to  tell  you  where  Copley  got  his  money.  Well,  it's 
a  betting  swindle,  one  of  the  biggest  and  most 
ingenious  that  has  been  attempted  on  the  turf  for 
many  a  long  day.  I  just  heard  enough  to  put  me 
on  the  track.  But  I've  my  work  cut  out  before  I 
reach  the  bottom  of  it.  You  have  no  occasion  to 
love  Copley " 

"  Indeed,  I  haven't,"  Fielden  said  bitterly.  "  I 
have  every  reason  for  disliking  the  man,  every 
reason  for  exposing  him  before  Miss— well,  before 
things  have  gone  too  far.  If  I  can  help  you,  I  will 
do  so  cheerfully." 

"  That's  right,"  Phillips  said  approvingly.  "  Now 
where  can  I  see  you  for  half  an  hour  in  the  course 
of  the  afternoon  ?  We  mustn't  stay  talking  here. 
There  is  old  Raffle." 


60  HARD  PRESSED 

Fielden  thought  it  over  for  a  moment  or  two.  He 
was  glad  enough  to  meet  this  old  South  African 
comrade  of  his  again.  In  several  respects  Phillips 
was  anything  but  a  desirable  acquaintance.  His 
upbringing  had  been  none  too  strict,  but,  at  the 
same  time,  he  had  a  rough  code  of  honour,  and  it 
was  one  of  his  proudest  boasts  that  he  never  forgot 
a  friend  or  a  favour.  Probably  he  had  had  his  own 
reasons  for  leaving  England  suddenly,  and  no  doubt 
those  reasons  had  something  to  do  with  the  turf. 
At  any  rate,  he  had  a  profound  and  intricate  know- 
ledge of  racing  matters,  and  there  was  no  swindle 
or  trick  with  which  he  was  not  familiar. 

"  You  had  better  meet  me  at  Heron's  Dyke," 
Fielden  said.  "  You  can  be  outside  in  the  road 
about  a  quarter  to  five.  There  is  nobody  on  the  pre- 
mises. I  have  the  key  in  my  pocket,  and  I  daresay 
I  shall  manage  to  get  a  light  from  somewhere." 

Phillips  disappeared  amongst  the  high  gorse. 
As'  Fielden  stepped  into  the  open  he  saw  Raffle 
looking  about  for  him.  There  was  a  shrewd  smile 
on  the  old  man's  face,  and  he  did  not  appear  in 
the  least  disconcerted  by  the  result  of  the  trial. 

"  Well  ?  "  Fielden  asked.  "  What  about  your 
Derby  winner  now  ?  " 

Raffle's  eye  contracted  in  a  wink. 

"  It's  all  right,  sir,"  he  said.  "  The  trial  was  a 
great  success.  Did  you  happen  to  see  anybody  in 
the  gorse  ?  " 


A  LEAF  FROM  THE  PAST  61 

"  Yes,"  Fielden  replied.  "  I  saw  Mr.  Copley." 
"  And  a  friend/'  Raffle  chuckled.  "  I  know  all 
about  it.  And  between  you  and  me,  sir,  I  got  this 
up  for  the  benefit  of  Mr.  Copley,  who  is  about  the 
greatest  rascal  unhanged,  and  that's  saying  a  good 
deal.  It  was  high  time  you  came  back." 


CHAPTER   VIII 

ROGUES   IN  COUNCIL 

RAFFLE  strode  sturdily  along,  refusing  to  say 
another  word.  What  deep-laid  schemes  the 
old  man  had  in  his  mind  Fielden  could  only  faintly 
guess.  At  any  rate  it  was  good  to  know  that 
Raffle  was  satisfied,  and  that  some  careful  plan  was 
afoot  with  a  view  to  Copley's  discomfiture. 

"  Perhaps  you  are  wise  to  keep  your  own  counsel," 
Fielden  said.  "  But  I've  learnt  something  this 
morning,  too,  Raffle.  There  is  somebody  in  the 
stable  who  is  disclosing  secrets,  and  the  sooner 
you  know  it  the  better." 

"  I  know  it  already,"  Raffle  grinned.  "It  is  all 
part  of  the  scheme.  They  have  got  hold  of  one 
of  the  boys,  and  I  am  watching  him  carefully.  I 
let  him  take  away  just  as  much  information  as  I 
like.  Don't  you  worry  about  me,  Mr.  Harry.  I 
haven't  been  at  this  game  for  fifty  years  without 
learning  a  thing  or  two.  I  have  always  made  it  a 
rule  to  go  straight  myself,  but  that  is  no  reason 
why  I  should  keep  my  eyes  closed  to  the  doings 
of  other  people." 

"  Quite  right,"  Fielden  said  approvingly.     "  But 


ROGUES  IN  COUNCIL  63 

what  do  you  know  about  Mr.  Copley  ?     He  is  a 
stranger  in  these  parts." 

"  That  may  be,  sir,  but  he  is  no  stranger  to  me. 
I  never  forget  a  face,  and  I've  been  on  every  race- 
course in  the  country  during  the  last  five  and 
twenty  years.  The  first  time  I  saw  Mr.  Copley,  he 
was  being  shown  round  the  stables  by  Sir  George. 
I  didnf't  like  him,  and  I  didn't  like  his  manner,  and 
thinks  I  to  myself,  '  I  wonder  where  I've  seen  you 
before  ?  '  Suddenly  there  flashes  into  my  mind  a  little 
incident  that  happened  at  Lincoln.  I  can  see  it  as 
plain  as  I  can  see  this  book  in  my  hand.  And  then  I 
knew  thatMr.  Copley,  the  African  millionaire,  was  one 
and  the  same  with  the  welsher  that  I  had  seen  half 
killed  at  Lincoln  a  good  many  years  ago.  Well,  it 
wasn't  for  me  to  say  anything  about  it,  because  I 
can  find  you  a  score  of  men  to-day,  rich  and  pros- 
perous men,  who  started  life  amongst  the  scum  of 
the  racecourse.  I  have  been  making  a  few  inquiries 
amongst  my  old  pals,  and  it  is  just  as  I  expected. 
Mr.  Copley  may  be  a  rich  man  now,  but  he  is  just 
as  big  a  scamp  as  ever  he  was,  and  Sir  George  ought 
to  know  it.  I  tell  you,  Mr.  Harry,  it  fairly  makes 
my  blood  boil  to  see  that  blackguard  swaggering 
about  here  and  hanging  around  Miss  May  as  if  she 
belonged  to  him.  It  fair  spoils  my  enjoyment  and 
my  food,  it  does.  But  you  see  how  difficult  it  is 
for  a  man  in  my  position  to  interfere.  But  your 
case  is  different." 


64  HARD   PRESSED 

Fielden  shook  his  head  sadly.  His  case  was  very 
different  indeed.  More  and  more  bitterly  did  he 
blame  himself  for  the  heedless,  senseless  folly  which 
had  brought  him  to  his  present  pitch.  How  changed 
things  might  have  been  if  he  had  only  shown  ordi- 
nary prudence  !  What  would  he  gain  if  he  went 
to  Sir  George  with  these  vague  stories  about  Copley  ? 
He  could  not  doubt  but  that  Sir  George  was  deeply 
in  Copley's  debt,  and  that  Copley  had  brought  this 
about  so  that,  when  the  time  came,  he  could  force 
May  to  marry  him.  These  painful  thoughts  were 
uppermost  in  his  mind  as  he  strode  back  to  the 
house.  He  could  not  shake  them  off,  though  May 
rallied  him  on  his  quietness  and  offered  him  the 
proverbial  penny  for  his  thoughts. 

"  I  know  what  is  the  matter,"  she  said  gaily. 
"  You  are  fretting  because  you  have  nothing  to  do. 
But  that  won't  be  for  long.  Do  you  know  that  we 
are  dining  with  Mr.  Copley  to-night,  and  that  you 
have  been  included  in  the  invitation  ?  Mr.  Copley 
telephoned  from  London  this  morning,  and  you 
were  especially  mentioned  by  name.  I  am  sure  if 
I  put  in  a  word  for  you  the  post  will  be  as  good 
as  yours.  Before  long  you  will  be  occupying  an 
important  place  in  the  racing  world,  and  the  rest 
is  in  your  own  hands.  You  have  the  consolation, 
too,  of  knowing  that  no  one  has  recognized  you." 

It  was  on  the  tip  of  Fielden's  tongue  to  refuse. 
It  was  repugnant  to  his  instincts  to  take  service 


ROGUES  IN  COUNCIL  65 

with  a  man  like  Copley.  Yet,  on  the  other  hand, 
it  was  fair  enough  to  fight  this  fellow  with  his  own 
weapons.  Through  him  Fielden  had  lost  the  chance 
of  his  lifetime.  But  for  him  and  his  rascally  associ- 
ates, Fielden  and  Phillips  would  have  been  rich  men 
to-day.  Moreover,  if  something  were  not  done 
speedily,  a  fate  which  was  worse  than  death  awaited 
May  Haredale.  To  turn  his  back  upon  a  chance 
like  this  would  be  to  precipitate  the  very  calamity 
which  he  was  most  anxious  to  avert.  Copley  was 
the  type  of  strong  man  who  always  gets  his  way. 
He  was  not  the  least  scrupulous  as  to  his  methods, 
and  Sir  George  Haredale  was  bound  to  him  hand 
and  foot.  It  would  be  far  better  to  seize  this  coign 
of  vantage,  especially  as  Copley  had  not  the  smallest 
idea  of  the  bitter  enemy  he  was  maintaining  under 
his  roof. 

Meanwhile,  Copley  and  his  friend  Foster  had 
returned  from  town.  They  reached  Copley's  estab- 
lishment, Seton  Manor,  just  before  dark.  They 
had  not  lost  any  time.  Apparently  they  had  done 
their  work  fairly  well,  for,  according  to  the  late 
evening  papers,  the  Blenheim  colt  had  receded 
steadily  in  the  betting.  People  were  asking  them- 
selves what  had  happened.  Most  of  the  public 
knew  and  respected  Sir  George  Haredale.  Not  the 
faintest  shadow  rested  on  his  reputation,  and  this 
fact  had  had  somewhat  of  a  steady  effect  on  the 
market.  But  though  a  certain  division  had  rushed 

£ 


66  HARD  PRESSED 

in  at  these  improved  prices  to  back  their  fancy, 
there  seemed  to  be  an  unlimited  amount  of  money 
ready  to  be  laid  against  the  horse.  At  any  rate, 
Copley  was  fairly  satisfied.  He  had  invested  several 
thousand  pounds  against  the  Blenheim  colt,  which, 
in  his  opinion,  was  already  as  good  as  out  of  the 
running  altogether. 

He  came  into  what  he  called  his  library  just 
before  dinner  and  found  Foster  awaiting  him.  Both 
were  in  evening  dress,  both  exceedingly  shiny  and 
glossy,  and  both  carried  more  jewellery  than  was 
in  accordance  with  good  taste.  The  guests  were  not 
expected  for  half  an  hour,  so  Copley  helped  himself 
liberally  to  brandy  and  soda  and  lighted  a  fresh 
cigarette. 

"  Any  letters  ?  "  he  asked. 

"  Nothing  of  importance,"  Foster  replied. 
"  When  I  left  you  this  morning  I  went  round  to  see 
if  I  could  see  anything  of  Phillips.  He  wasn't  at 
his  lodgings,  and  they  said  he  wasn't  expected 
back  till  to-morrow.  Now  what  are  you  going  to 
do  about  that  chap  ?  " 

"Oh,  let  him  go  to  the  devil !  "  Copley  growled. 

"  My  dear  Copley,  why  do  you  always  talk  like 
that  ?  Why  do  you  think  that  every  man  is  a  fool 
except  yourself  ?  You  appear  to  be  very  prosperous. 
Nobody  can  deny  your  courage.  And  because  you 
are  not  afraid  of  Phillips  you  seem  to  think  he  isn't 
dangerous.  I  think  he  is.  Suppose  he  goes  to 


ROGUES  IN  COUNCIL  67 

Scotland  Yard  and  lays  his  information  before  the 
people  there,  and  suppose  they  communicate  with 
the  authorities  in  Cape  Town,  the  result  will  be 
an  application  for  your  arrest,  and  once  you  get 
out  there  you  know  what  will  happen.  It  will 
be  all  U.P." 

"  Thinking  about  your  own  skin,"  Copley 
sneered. 

"  Well,  and  what  if  I  am  ?  I  haven't  got  a 
sanguine  temperament  like  yours.  Of  course,  we 
could  buy  Phillips  off ;  at  least  we  could  buy  him 
off  for  the  time  being  and  keep  his  mouth  shut  till 
we  devised  some  plan  for  getting  rid  of  him  alto- 
gether. But  he  is  a  cunning  devil,  is  Aaron  Phillips, 
and  has  learnt  how  to  profit  by  past  experience. 
It  is  no  use  asking  him  to  come  to  your  hotel.  He 
isn't  going  to  walk  into  a  trap  like  that,  and  he 
isn't  going  to  wait  much  longer,  either.  If  we  could 
give  him  a  thousand  pounds  just  to  go  on  with, 
why " 

"  A  thousand  devils,"  Copley  exclaimed  furiously. 
"  Where  am  I  going  to  get  a  thousand  pounds  ? 
I  mean,  where  am  I  going  to  get  it  just  at  this 
moment  ?  I've  got  this  place  here,  which  isn't  paid 
for.  I  managed  to  get  the  bank  to  advance  the 
money  till  I  could  complete  the  purchase,  and  the 
furnishing  was  an  easy  matter.  One  can  get  as 
much  credit  as  one  likes  in  this  country,  provided 
one  winks  at  extortionate  charges.  As  I  will 


68  HARD   PRESSED 

never  pay  for  the  stuff  at  all,  the  West  End  trades- 
men can  charge  what  they  please.  But  the  fact 
remains  that  though  people  are  tumbling  over  one 
another  to  get  my  custom  I  am  fairly  at  my  wits'  end 
for  ready  cash.  Of  course,  it  will  be  all  right  when  the 
flat  season  begins  in  earnest.  With  any  luck  there'll 
be  a  hatfull  of  money  to  share  between  us 
before  the  October  meeting  at  Newmarket.  We 
ought  to  make  over  a  thousand  pounds  at  Mirst 
Park  on  Saturday  week.  I  suppose  you've  got  it 
all  ready.  Got  the  telephone  in  place  ?  The  worst 
of  this  game  is  that  one  has  to  take  so  many  people 
into  one's  confidence." 

"That's  all  right,"  Foster  explained.  "Every- 
thing is  in  its  place  now.  I  went  down  to  Mirst 
Park  the  day  before  yesterday.  The  house  is  finished 
and  all  the  workmen  have  gone.  The  telephone 
is  in  good  order,  because  I  tried  it.  The  man  who 
fixed  up  the  extension  from  the  hall  to  the  roof  was 
a  bit  curious,  but  I  managed  to  put  him  off  the 
scent  by  some  lie  about  the  doctor's  orders  and  a 
patient  who  had  been  recommended  to  try  outdoor 
treatment.  But  we  ought  to  have  a  mechanic  of 
our  own,  Copley.  If  any  hint  of  our  little  secret 
leaked  out,  the  man  who  fixed  that  extended  tele- 
phone would  be  certain  to  see  it,  and  naturally  he 
would  ask  himself  a  question  or  two.  The  fewer 
outsiders  we  have  to  deal  with  the  better." 

"  There's    no   doubt    of  that,"   Copley    agreed. 


ROGUES   IN  COUNCIL  69 

"  Then  there's  nothing  to  settle  now.  Did  you 
rehearse  the  bit  in  Covent  Garden  ?  " 

"Oh,  yes.  I  was  in  the  office  we  have  taken  next 
door  to  the  Post  Club,  and  went  through  the  whole 
thing  with  Radley,  who  was  stationed  outside. 
There  wasn't  a  hitch  anywhere.  I  don't  see  why  we 
shouldn't  clear  a  thousand  pounds  ;  indeed,  we 
might  make  a  great  deal  more.  But  perhaps  it 
would  be  just  as  well  to  be  on  the  safe  side.  It  would 
be  a  fatal  mistake  to  arouse  the  suspicions  of  the 
bookmakers  at  the  beginning,  and  if  this  scheme 
breaks  down  we've  got  another  one." 

Copley  smiled  as  he  finished  his  brandy  and  soda. 
He  threw  the  end  of  his  cigarette  into  the  grate  as 
the  door  bell  rang. 

"Come  along,"  he  said.  "Here  are  our  guests. 
Let  us  go  into  the  drawing-room  and  wait  for  them. 
We  must  assume  respectability  even  if  we  have  it 
not." 


CHAPTER    IX 

IN   THE  TOILS 

IN  spite  of  his  dislike  of  Copley,  Fielden  could  not 
see  much  to  object  to  in  his  manner  as  he 
came  forward  to  receive  his  guests.  He  was,  per- 
haps, a  trifle  loud  and  domineering,  perhaps  a  little 
too  familiar  in  the  way  in  which  he  held  May  Hare- 
dale's  hand  in  his.  Foster  more  or  less  obliterated 
himself.  It  was  his  role  in  company  to  play  the 
confidential  servant.  He  was  quiet  and  subdued, 
though  nothing  escaped  his  sharp  glance.  The 
dinner  was  excellent.  Everything  was  in  good 
taste,  as  Fielden  was  forced  to  admit.  The  talk, 
for  the  most  part,  was  lively  and  was  kept  princi- 
pally to  the  topic  of  sport.  Afterwards  there  was  a 
move  towards  the  billiard-room,  and  ere  he 
realized  it,  Fielden  found  himself  engaged  in  a  game 
of  pool  with  Sir  George  and  Foster,  while  May 
Haredale  and  Copley  looked  on.  A  moment  or  two 
later  these  two  vanished  on  a  pretext  of  Copley's 
that  he  wished  to  show  May  some  sporting  pictures 
he  had  lately  acquired.  The  pictures  were  duly 
inspected,  but  Copley  made  no  move  to  rejoin  the 
party. 

TO 


IN  THE  TOILS  71 

"  Hadn't  we  better  go  back  ?  "  May  sug- 
gested. 

Copley  turned  an  admiring  glance  upon  the 
girl.  There  was  no  mistaking  the  expression  of 
his  face.  May  had  more  than  her  fair  share  of 
courage,  but  she  was  feeling  a  bit  restless  and 
nervous.  She  was  wondering  why  she  disliked  this 
man  so  much.  She  had  had  nothing  but  kindness 
and  courtes}'  at  his  hands.  She  knew  that  he  had 
helped  her  father  more  than  once.  Yet  her  in- 
stinct told  her  that  Copley  was  not  to  be  trusted. 
There  was  a  boldness  about  him  that  repelled  her, 
something  in  his  glittering  eye  from  which  she 
recoiled.  Now  she  knew  almost  before  the  words 
were  spoken  what  Copley  was  going  to  say. 

"  The  others  are  not  likely  to  miss  us  for  a  bit," 
he  said.  "  Besides,  there  is  something  I  have  to 
talk  to  you  about.  To  be  perfectly  candid,  I  asked 
you  over  here  this  evening  on  purpose.  I  wonder 
why  it  is  that  you  avoid  me  so." 

"  I  was  not  aware  of  it,"  May  murmured. 

"  But,  indeed,  you  do.  I  have  noticed  it  more 
than  once.  Surely  you  must  know  why  I 
come  so  frequently  to  Haredale  Park.  I  am  not 
much  of  a  ladies'  man,  Miss  May,  and  I  never  have 
been.  I  have  led  a  rough  kind  of  life.  I  know  so 
little  of  the  atmosphere  of  drawing-rooms.  But 
every  man  recognizes,  when  the  time  comes,  when 
he  meets  with  the  woman  who  is  made  for  him 


72  HARD  PRESSED 

alone,  and  that  is  the  point  I  have  reached.  I  think 
T  could  provide  you  all  you  need.  You  will  have  a 
fine  house  and  a  good  position,  and  everything  you 
want.  I  daresay  this  is  a  rough  way  of  putting  it, 
but  it  is  none  the  less  sincere  for  that." 

It  was  sincere  enough,  as  May  had  to  admit. 
Copley's  assurance  had  vanished.  He  was  speaking 
from  his  heart.  The  man  was  rogue  and  scoundrel 
through  and  through,  but  had  fallen  deeply  in  love 
with  May  Haredale.  He  was  prepared  to  go  any 
lengths  to  make  her  his  wife.  It  was  the  only  piece 
of  honesty  and  sincerity  that  he  had  ever  displayed 
since  he  was  old  enough  to  know  the  distinction 
between  right  and  wrong. 

May  stood  silent  and  trembling.  She  was  not 
insensible  to  the  compliment  Copley  was  paying 
her.  She  knew  that  he  meant  every  word  he  said, 
and  she  knew,  too,  that  there  must  be  a  hard  fight 
before  she  could  convince  him  that  the  thing  he  so 
ardently  desired  was  impossible.  She  had  an  un- 
easy feeling,  too,  that  Copley  had  not  yet  played  all 
his  cards.  "  I  ought  to  thank  you,  I  suppose," 
she  said.  "  In  a  sense  you  are  doing  me  an  honour, 
and  this  is  the  first  time  that  any  man  has  asked  me 
such  a  question,  and  naturally  I  feel  disturbed.  But 
what  you  ask  of  me  is  quite  impossible." 

"  Why  impossible  ?  "  Copley  asked  grimly.  "  Oh, 
I  didn't  expect  you  to  jump  at  me  ;  I  know  you 
are  not  that  sort  of  girl.  Perhaps  that  is  one  of  the 


IN  THE   TOILS  73 

main  reasons  why  I  am  so  anxious  to  make  yon  my 
'wife.  But  if  there  is  no  one  else " 

"  There  is  no  one  else,"  May  said  with  a  sorrowful 
sincerity  which  was  not  lost  upon  her  companion. 
"  There  is  no  one  else,  and  there  never  will  be.  If 
it  is  any  sort  of  consolation  to  you,  Mr.  Copley,  I 
shall  never  marry." 

"  Never  is  a  long  day,"  Copley  smiled.  "  At 
any  rate,  as  long  as  there  is  nobody  else  in  question 
I  shall  feel  encouraged  to  go  on.  I  am  a  very  per- 
sistent man,  and  in  the  end  I  always  get  my  own 
way.  I'll  ask  you  again  in  a  week  or  two,  and, 
perhaps,  when  you  have  had  time  to  think  it 
over " 

"  No,  no,"  May  said  firmly.  "  There  must  be 
no  thinking  it  over.  I  could  not  marry  you.  I 
could  not  care  for  you  enough  for  that  and  I  would 
never  marry  a  man  to  whom  I  could  not  give  myself 
wholly  and  entirely.  It  is  the  same  to-day,  it  will 
be  the  same  next  year.  Mr.  Copley,  I  ask  you  not 
to  allude  to  this  distressing  topic  again.  If  you 
do,  I  shall  have  no  alternative  but  to  treat  you  as 
a  stranger." 

There  was  no  mistaking  the  sincerity  of  May's 
words.  Her  natural  courage  and  resolution  had 
come  back  to  her.  She  met  Copley's  glance  without 
flinching.  Her  little  mouth  was  firmly  set.  Even 
Copley,  with  all  his  egotism  and  assurance,  knew 
that  the  last  words  had  been  said. 


74  HARD   PRESSED 

A  sudden  blind  rage  clutched  him.  His  thin 
veneer  of  gentility  vanished.  He  stretched  out  a 
hand  and  laid  it  upon  the  girl's  arm. 

"  So  you  mean  to  defy  me,"  he  said  hoarsely. 

"  Defy  you  !  "  May  cried,  indignantly.  "  What 
do  you  mean  ?  Have  you  forgotten  that  you  are 
a  gentleman  ?  Anybody  would  think  to  look  at 
you  and  hear  you  speak  that  you  were  playing  the 
villain  in  some  sensational  melodrama.  You  have 
paid  me  the  compliment  of  asking  me  to  be  your 
wife,  and  I  have  done  my  best  to  decline  in  such  a 
manner  as  to  give  you  as  little  pain  as  possible. 
You  will  be  good  enough  to  take  me  back  to  the 
billiard-room  and  not  to  allude  to  this  matter 
again." 

Copley  laughed  derisively.  He  had  forgotten 
himself.  The  love  and  passion  in  his  heart  had 
died  away  to  a  sullen  anger.  Never  since  he  had 
known  May  Haredale  had  he  felt  such  a  wild  longing 
to  possess  her.  Well,  if  the  girl  would  have  it,  then 
he  must  speak  openly  and  freely.  She  must  be  made 
to  understand  that  here  was  her  master,  whose 
lightest  wish  she  must  learn  to  obey. 

"  You  don't  understand,"  he  said.  "  I  suppose 
you  think  you  have  only  to  raise  your  hand  and  pick 
and  choose.  Ah,  you  are  mistaken,  my  dear  young 
lady.  If  you  don't  believe  me,  ask  Sir  George. 
He  promised  to  speak  to  you  on  my  behalf,  but  I 
see  he  hasn't  done  so.  Probably  he  shirked  it. 


IN  THE  TOILS  75 

Now  I  shall  have  to  tell  you  myself.  Do  you  know 
that  at  the  present  moment  I  am  master  of  Haredale 
Park  ?  I  don't  imagine  you  are  acquainted  with 
business,  but  you  know  that  your  father  is  not  a 
rich  man.  Has  that  fact  escaped  you  ?  " 

"  I  am  aware  of  it,"  May  said  coldly. 

"  Very  well,  then.  Where  do  you  suppose  he  has 
found  the  money  to  pay  his  racing  debts  ?  Do  you 
suppose  it  dropped  from  the  clouds  ?  During  the 
last  twelve  months,  your  father  has  had  from  me 
something  like  thirty  thousand  pounds.  Even  a  rich 
man  can't  always  put  his  hand  on  large  sums  of 
money  like  that.  And  I  should  have  refused  to 
part  with  the  money  if  it  had  not  been  for  your  sake. 
But  when  a  man  is  in  love,  he  is  guilty  of  all  sorts 
of  follies  and  extravagances  and  when  a  man  like 
me  is  in  love  he  does  not  stick  at  trifles.  Now  try 
to  realize  my  position.  Try  to  realize  that  if  I  say 
the  word  there  is  an  end  to  Haredale  Park  as  far  as 
you  are  concerned.  I  am  not  boasting.  I  could 
turn  you  both  out  to-morrow  if  I  chose,  and  what 
would  become  of  you  then  ?  Ask  yourself  the 
question.  You  needn't  answer  it  now  ;  you  can  take 
time  to  do  so." 

May  Haredale  trembled  from  head  to  foot.  She 
had  half-dreaded,  half-expected  this,  but  the  blow 
was  no  less  crushing  now  that  it  had  fallen,  and  she 
could  see  from  the  grim  expression  on  Copley's  face 
that  he  meant  every  word  he  said.  She  had  read 


76  HARD  PRESSED 

of  similar  situations  in  novels,  but  they  had  sounded 
cold  and  unconvincing,  and  little  like  the  real  thing 
now  that  she  was  face  to  face  with  it. 

"  You  would  never  do  it,"  she  faltered. 

"  By  Heaven,  I  would  !  "  Copley  cried.  "  Ah, 
you  do  not  know  what  manner  of  man  I  am.  Why, 
when  you  look  at  me  like  that,  instead  of  melting  I 
grow  all  the  harder.  I  must  make  you  my  wife. 
You  little  know  the  sacrifices  I  have  made  to 
bring  this  about.  I  never  thought  that  I  could  be  a 
fool  for  the  sake  of  a  woman.  I  could  almost  laugh 
at  my  own  folly,  but  it  has  become  part  and  parcel 
of  my  very  existence,  the  only  object  in  the  world 
that  is  worth  attaining.  Well,  it  is  no  use  talking, 
for  I  could  go  on  in  the  same  strain  all  night.  It  is 
for  you  to  decide.  You  can  please  yourself  whether 
your  father  is  turned  out  of  house  and  home,  or 
whether  your  prosperous  and  happy  future " 

"  Prosperous  and  happy  future,"  May  echoed 
scornfully.  "  The  words  on  your  lips  sound  like 
blasphemy.  It  seems  almost  incredible  that  a 
man  with  any  sort  of  pride  should  stoop  to  such  a 
trick  as  this  to  force  a  woman  to  marry  him,  when, 
from  the  bottom  of  her  heart,  she  loathes  and  detests 
him." 

Copley  jeered. 

"  Oh,  go  on,"  he  said.  "  Let  it  come  out.  Treat 
me  as  if  I  were  dirt  under  your  feet.  But  you  will 
think  better  of  it  before  a  week  has  passed.  Tell 


IN   THE  TOILS  77 

your  father  what  I  have  been  saying  to-night,  and 
talk  it  over  with  him.  Perhaps  he  will  be  able  to 
persuade  you  better  than  I  can.  Let  us  go  back  to 
the  billiard-room." 

May  turned  coldly  away,  but  her  eyes  were  dim, 
and  all  the  world  seemed  slipping  away  from  beneath 
her  feet. 


CHAPTER   X 

CONFESSION 

FIELDEN  was  not  enjoying  his  game  of  billiards. 
It  was  a  favourite  game  of  his,  and  one  which 
he  had  not  had  much  opportunity  of  exercising 
lately,  but  he  would  have  given  something  for  an 
excuse  to  get  out  of  it.  The  reason  was  obvious  why 
Raymond  Copley  had  made  an  excuse  to  get  May 
out  of  the  room.  His  instinct  told  him  what  was 
going  on,  and  if  he  had  had  any  lingering  doubt  on 
the  subject  it  would  have  been  dispelled  by  the  most 
casual  glance  at  Sir  George. 

For  Haredale  had  lost  all  geniality.  He  became 
silent  and  depressed.  From  time  to  time  he  glanced 
anxiously  towards  the  door.  If  such  a  thing  were 
possible  to  a  man  of  his  position,  and  with  a  record 
like  his,  it  might  be  said  that  he  looked  as  if  he  had 
been  committing  some  crime  and  was  in  deadly 
fear  of  being  found  out. 

There  was  no  longer  room  for  hesitation  in  Fielden:s 
mind.  There  was  a  conspiracy  between  Sir  George 
and  Copley  against  May  Haredale 's  happiness. 
Fielden  was  boiling.  It  seemed  incredible  that  a 
man  like  Sir  George  could  deliberately  become  a 


CONFESSION  79 

party  to  such  a  scheme  as  this.  And  so  the  game 
went  on,  with  two  people  at  least  not  taking  the 
faintest  interest  in  it.  Then  the  door  opened  and 
May  Haredale  entered. 

Fielden  shot  a  swift  glance  in  her  direction.  He 
saw  how  pale  her  face  was,  how  rigidly  haughty  and 
set  were  her  features.  There  were  traces  of  tears 
in  her  eyes,  but  so  far  as  Fielden  could  see  he  had  no 
cause  to  despair.  Whatever  had  been  said  or  done, 
Copley  had  not  gained  much.  His  face  showed  that. 
Defeat  was  written  all  over  it.  He  was  not  the 
man  to  put  up  with  disaster  without  showing  it, 
and  Fielden  knew  in  that  moment  that  so  far, 
at  any  rate,  things  had  not  gone  well  with  his 
host.  Sir  George  saw  it,  too,  for  his  jaw  dropped, 
and  he  turned  almost  a  guilty  face  towards  Copley. 
For  a  moment  there  was  an  awkward  silence. 

"  It  is  getting  very  late,"  May  said.  "  Don't  you 
think  we  had  better  be  going  ?  " 

Haredale  looked  at  Copley  as  if  waiting  for  a  lesson. 

"  It  is  not  so  very  late,"  he  remarked. 

"  Well,  it  seems  so  to  me,"  May  said.  "  Besides 
1  am  very  tired.  I  am  sure  Mr.  Copley  will  excuse 
me." 

Copley  murmured  something  more  or  less  appro- 
priate. He  was  not  used  to  taking  the  trouble  to 
disguise  his  humiliation. 

"  If  you  must  go,  you  must,"  he  said.  "  I'll  come 
round  after  breakfast  and  see  you  to-morrow  morn- 


8o  HARD   PRESSED 

ing,  Sir  George.  I  have  something  important  to 
say  to  you.  Perhaps  you  will  be  there,  too,  Mr. 
Field.  I  fancy  I  can  put  something  in  your  way. 
I  want  some  one  to  take  a  general  superintendence 
of  my  stables.  Sir  George  tells  me  you  are 
thoroughly  up  to  the  work,  and  that  I  can  place 
every  confidence  in  you.  You  seem  to  be  the  sort 
of  man  I  am  looking  for,  and,  though  I  am  in- 
terested in  racing,  I  have  very  little  time  to  spare 
to  look  into  the  details." 

It  was  hard  work  to  return  thanks  for  this  ungra- 
cious speech,  but  Fielden  managed  it  somehow. 
He  was  feeling  strangely  elated,  and  hoped  that 
nothing  of  his  emotions  found  expression  on 
his  face.  He  was  glad  enough  to  find  himself  at 
length  seated  in  the  brougham  with  his  friends  on  the 
way  back  to  Haredale  Park.  It  was  a  singularly 
silent  ride,  for  May  never  spoke  a  word  the  whole 
time  and  Sir  George  was  ill  at  ease.  When  they 
reached  home  May  turned  to  Fielden. 

"  I  hope  you  will  excuse  me  a  moment  or  two, 
Harry,"  she  said.  "I  have  something  to  say  to 
my  father.  It  won't  take  many  minutes.  Perhaps 
you  will  wait  for  us  in  the  library.  I  think  you  will 
find  everything  you  want  there." 

Sir  George  stood  nervously  in  the  hall  shuffling 
from  one  foot  to  another.  It  seemed  to  take  him 
a  long  time  to  get  out  of  his  overcoat.  He  turned 
to  May  testily. 


CONFESSION  81 

"  Surely,  there  is  nothing  you  have  to  say  to  me 
to-night,"  he  said.  "  It  will  keep  till  to-morrow." 

Without  reply  May  turned  towards  the  drawing- 
room  and  Sir  George  followed.  He  closed  the  door 
carefully  behind  him.  She  crossed  to  the  fireplace 
and  stood  facing  her  father.  Her  face  was  firm, 
though  her  lips  trembled  slightly,  and  the  task 
before  her  was  by  no  means  a  pleasant  one. 

"  I  hardly  know  how  to  begin,"  she  said.  "  It 
is  so  difficult  for  me  in  my  unfortunate  position.  I 
have  never  ceased  to  regret  the  death  of  my  mother, 
but  I  cannot  remember  feeling  the  want  of  her  so 
much  as  I  do  now.  I  suppose  you  can  guess  what 
happened  to-night.  You  know  what  Mr.  Copley 
said  to  me." 

Sir  George  shook  his  head.  His  attempt  to 
appear  unconcerned  was  so  grotesque  a  failure  that, 
in  spite  of  her  unhappiness,  May  could  not  repress 
a  smile. 

"  You  are  very  transparent,"  she  cried.  '  You 
make  a  bad  conspirator,  father.  You  know  perfectly 
well  what  happened  to-night.  You  know  why  we 
were  asked  to  dine  with  Mr.  Copley.  He  has  done 
me  the  honour  to  ask  me  to  be  his  wife.  Now  don't 
pretend  to  be  surprised,  because  Mr.  Copley  had 
your  full  sanction  ;  in  fact,  he  told  me  he  had  dis- 
cussed the  matter  with  you  more  than  once." 

"  And  you  accepted  him  ?  "  Sir  George  asked 
eagerly. 

F 


82  HARD  PRESSED 

"  We  wfll  come  to  that  presently.  Now  let  me 
ask  you  a  question.  Suppose  that  your  position  was 
as  good  as  it  was  twenty  years  ago,  that  there  were 
no  mortgages  on  the  estate.  In  that  case,  what 
would  you  have  said  to  Mr.  Copley  if  he  had  ex- 
pressed a  wish  to  become  your  son-in-law  ?  You 
wouldn't  have  turned  him  out  of  the  house,  because 
we  don't  do  things  like  that.  But  your  reply 
would  have  been  no  less  unmistakable.  You 
would  have  made  Mr.  Copley  feel  the  absurdity  of 
his  ambition.  He  would  never  have  been  asked  to 
come  here  again.  Now  isn't  that  so  ?  " 

Sir  George  shuffled  about  uneasily. 

"  Other  times,  other  methods,"  he  answered. 
"  You  see  the  condition  of  things  is  quite  altered. 
Really,  some  of  our  best  women  marry  rich  men 
who  have  nothing  particular  to  boast  of  in  the  way 
of  pedigree.  I  can  call  a  dozen  cases  to  mind." 

"  Yes,"  May  retorted.  "  And  I  can  call  a  dozen 
cases  to  mind  where  you  have  expressed  the  strongest 
indignation  with  parents  who  have  encouraged 
marriages  of  that  sort.  You  have  stigmatized  the 
thing  as  a  sale.  Why,  you  refused  to  shake  hands 
with  Lord  Middlebourne  when  he  told  you  that  his 
daughter  was  going  to  marry  young  Blackley. 
Yet,  in  the  face  of  all  this,  you  entered  into  a  con- 
spiracy with  Mr.  Copley,  a  conspiracy  which  you 
must  know  would  be  fatal  to  my  happiness." 

•'•'  You,  you  didn't  refuse  him  ?  "  Sir  George  gasped. 


CONFESSION  83 

"  Refuse  him !  Of  course  I  did.  I  hope  I  did 
not  say  too  much.  But  I  let  him  know  that  the 
thing  was  impossible.  I  told  him  that  in  no  circum- 
stances could  I  become  his  wife.  I  have  felt  that 
this  was  coming  for  some  time,  and  I  blame  myself 
for  permitting  things  to  go  so  far.  Mr.  Copley  took 
it  very  badly.  He  lost  his  temper.  He  threatened 
me.  He  even  went  so  far  as  to  say  that,  unless  I 
thought  better  of  my  reply,  he  would  turn  us  out 
of  Haredale  Park." 

Sir  George  turned  a  white  and  anxious  face  towards 
his  daughter. 

"  Did  he  say  that  ?  "  he  asked  hoarsely. 

"  I  have  already  told  you  so.  But,  of  course,  this 
is  ridiculous.  You  would  never  have  been  so  foolish 
as  to  place  yourself  in  the  power  of  a  man  like  Mr. 
Copley.  It  is  very  well  to  know  such  people,  and 
I  daresay  you  have  found  him  useful  in  business. 

But  as  to  the  rest Why  do  you  look  at  me 

like  that  ?     You  don't  mean  to  say  that  his  story  is 
actually  true  ?  " 

Sir  George  seemed  to  have  some  difficulty  in 
speaking.  When  at  length  the  words  came  they 
were  free  enough. 

"  It  is  true,"  he  said.  "  My  dear  child,  you  must 
not  blame  me  unduly.  I  have  been  terribly  unfor- 
tunate of  late.  Everything  I  have  touched  has 
gone  wrong.  I  am  almost  afraid  to  look  at  my 
betting  book,  and  if  the  Blenheim  colt  does  not 


84  HARD   PRESSED 

win  the  Derby,  then  I  shall  be  something  worse  than 
a  pauper.  You  don't  know  what  hopes  I  build  upon 
this.  If  it  comes  off  all  right  we  shall  be  rich  and 
prosperous.  But  it  has  been  an  awful  struggle  to 
keep  my  head  above  water  so  far,  and  when  Copley 
offered  to  help  me  in  an  open-handed  way,  I  dared 
not  refuse.  Of  course,  I  had  not  the  least  idea  then 
that  he  had  given  you  even  more  than  a  passing 
thought.  It  never  occurred  to  me  that  he  was 
lending  me  this  money  merely  to  have  a  hold  upon 
me,  and  I  thought  it  possible  you  might  care  for  him. 
There  is  always  the  chance — 

"  Oh,  you  didn't.     I  cannot  believe  you  would 
ever  think  so  meanly  of  me  as  that." 

"  Well,  I  don't  know,"  Sir  George  said,  stung  into 
retort.     "  Anyhow,  it  is  unfortunate   that    Harry 
Fielden  should  come  back  just  now." 
The  hot  blood  flamed  into  May's  face. 
"  That   is   unjust  and   ungenerous,"   she    cried. 
"  In  any  case,  my  reply  would  be  just  the  same. 
I   never  did  care  for  anybody  but  Harry  Fielden, 
and  I  never  will.     You   know  that.     There  is  not 
the  slightest  chance  of  his  ever  being  in  a  position 
to  keep  a  wife.     But  we  are  talking  in  a  circle.     I 
am  more  than  sorry  to  hear  what  you  say,  but  if  the 
worst  comes  to  the  worst  we  shall  have  to  dispose 
of    everything    and    leave    Haredale    Park.      For 
nothing  shall  induce  me  to  marry  Raymond  Cop- 
ley." 


CONFESSION  85 

"  Well,  there's  an  end  of  it  all,"  Sir  George  said. 
"  This  makes  a  beggar  of  me.  But  don't  decide  like 
that.  Think  it  over  and  give  me  your  final  answer 
in  the  morning." 


CHAPTER    XI 

ON  THE   EDGE 

IF  Harry  Fielden  had  hoped  to  see  May  again 
that  night  he  was  disappointed.  She  was 
tired,  Sir  George  said,  and  hoped  that  Fielden  would 
not  mind  if  she  did  not  come  into  the  library.  He 
was  a  little  bit  under  the  mark  himself  and  would 
go  to  bed.  So  Fielden  was  left  to  his  uneasy  thoughts 
with  the  hope  that  he  might  learn  something  in  the 
morning.  But  glancing  at  May  across  the  breakfast 
table  he  could  read  nothing  from  the  expression  of 
her  face.  She  was  a  little  silent,  but  otherwise  her 
features  were  tranquil,  and  it  was  not  till  an  hour 
or  so  afterwards  that  Fielden  found  himself  alone 
with  her. 

"  I  hope  you  are  better  ?  "  he  asked. 

"  Oh,  there's  nothing  whatever  the  matter  with 
me,"  May  said  in  her  candid  way.  "  I  am  only 
worried,  that's  all.  You  have  been  here  quite  long 
enough  to  see  that  things  are  not  going  with  us  as 
they  should.  It  will  be  a  terrible  thing  if  our 
colt  fails  to  win  the  Derby.  Indeed,  I  don't  know 

how  we  shall  be  able  to  carry  on  till  the  end  of  May 

M 


ON   THE  EDGE  87 

in  any  case.  What  a  wretched  business  it  all  is  ! 
How  foolish  people  are  to  risk  their  happiness  on 
the  speed  of  a  horse!  But  the  Haredales  have 
always  been  gamblers.  I  suppose  it  is  in  the 
blood.  Put  on  your  hat  and  take  me  for  a  walk 
across  the  Downs.  I  need  something  to  blow  the 
cobwebs  away." 

Fielden  was  eager.  For  some  time  he  walked  in 
silence  by  the  girl's  side,  waiting  for  her  to  speak. 
He  had  a  feeling  that,  sooner  or  later,  May  would 
confide  in  him.  She  stopped  suddenly  and  raised 
her  eyes  to  his. 

"  I  am  going  to  ask  you  a  question,"  she  said. 
"  I  want  you  to  put  yourself  in  my  place  for  a 
moment.  Suppose  that  the  honour  and  fortune  of 
the  family  rested  in  my  hands,  and  it  was  for  me  to 
say  whether  the  Haredales  were  to  leave  this  old 
place  in  poverty  and  disgrace,  or  whether  they  were 
to  stay  on  occupying  the  old  position,  what  would 
you  do  ?  " 

"  It  depends  on  circumstances,"  Fielden  said. 

"  Of  course  it  does,  my  dear  boy.  I  didn't 
expect  you  to  make  such  a  tame  reply  as  that. 
Surely  you  must  know  what  I  mean.  It  is  for  me 
to  decide.  I  have  the  opportunity  of  bringing  into 
the  family  the  necessary  money  to  set  everything 
right.  But  at  a  price." 

"  As  usual,"  Fielden,  said  sadly.  "  The  price 
happens  to  be  yourself." 


88  HARD  PRESSED 

"  You  have  guessed  it.  The  price  is  myself. 
I  suppose  it  would  be  no  news  to  you  if  I  told 
you  who  the  man  was." 

"  Not  after  last  night,"  Fielden  said  between  his 
teeth.  "  So  Raymond  Copley  has  asked  you  to 
marry  him.  I  suppose  it  is  the  old  story  which 
one  has  read  in  books  and  newspapers  a  thousand 
times.  Copley  has  got  your  father  under  his 
thumb  and  has  threatened  to  ruin  him,  unless  you 
consent  to  be  his  wife.  I  am  not  a  very  shrewd 
person,  but  I  felt  sure  of  this  when  we  came  home 
last  night.  You  refused  Copley,  of  course,  and  he 
took  his  refusal  in  the  way  such  a  cad  would.  He 
threatened  you  and  said  he  had  your  father  on  his 
side.  And  now  you  are  hesitating  what  to  do.  You 
have  said  that  no  power  on  earth  shall  force  you 
to  consent,'  that  you  cannot  save  the  family  honour 
at  such  a  price.  You  are  right,  May.  It  is  a  vile 
thing  to  ask  of  a  girl.  It  is  so  mean  and  dishon- 
ourable. Heaven  knows,  I  care  for  your  welfare. 
I  never  knew  how  much  I  did  care  till  we  met  in 
London  the  other  night.  Then  I  realized  for  the 
first  time  the  price  I  am  paying  for  my  folly.  If 
I  hadn't  been  a  fool,  you  would  be  my  wife  to-day, 
and  it  would  have  been  my  pleasure  and  privilege 
to  help  Sir  George  out  of  his  trouble.  Can  you 
ever  forgive  me  ?  " 

May  turned  a  tearful  face  towards  Fielden. 
Impulsively  she  held  out  her  hands  to  him,  and 


ON  THE   EDGE  89 

he  caught  them  almost  fiercely.  They  were  alone 
on  the  wide  stretch  of  Downs.  Not  a  soul  was 
in  sight.  Neither  knew  how  it  happened,  but  a 
moment  later  Fielden's  arms  were  about  the  girl, 
and  she  was  crying  unrestrainedly  upon  his 
shoulder.  There  was  only  one  thing  for  it,  and 
that  was  to  kiss  the  tears  away  and  bring  the  s-miles 
back  to  May's  lips. 

"  Now  we  have  done  it,"  Fielden  said  ruefully. 
"  I  am  a  nice  fellow  to  talk  about  other  men  being 
dishonourable.  I  ought  to  be  well  thrashed  for  giv- 
ing way  to  temptation  like  this.  Fancy  a  man  in 
my  position  daring  to  make  love  to  any  girl.  But 
you  knew  what  my  feelings  were." 

"  I  was  sure,"  May  whispered. 

"  But  what  are  we  to  do  ?  It  would  be  another 
matter,  I  suppose,  if  it  were  three  months  later  and 
the  Blenheim  colt  had  won  the  Derby.  Then, 
perhaps,  Sir  George  would  forgive  me  and  make  the 
best  of  it  for  your  sake.  As  it  is,  I  have  only  suc- 
ceeded in  complicating  matters.  You  are  resolved, 
of  course,  that  nothing  will  induce  you  to  change 
your  mind  so  far  as  Copley  is  concerned.  But 
will  you  have  strength  enough  to  do  it,  May  ?  I 
don't  think  you  realize  the  pressure  which  would  be 
put  upon  you  when  you  find  that  Haredale  Park  will 
have  to  go,  when  you  find  yourself  in  lodgings " 

"  Never,"  May  cried  passionately.  "  I  refuse 
even  to  discuss  it.  The  idea  is  unthinkable." 


90  HARD  PRESSED 

Fielden  pressed  the  point  no  longer.  He  really 
had  not  the  heart  to  do  so.  Sufficient  unto  the 
day  was  the  evil  thereof.  But  it  was  with  mixed 
feelings  that  an  hour  or  so  later  he  walked  across 
the  fields  to  Seton  Manor.  Copley  was  waiting  to 
receive  him.  The  latter  was  in  his  hardest  and  most 
businesslike  mood.  There  was  something  repellent 
about  the  expression  of  his  face.  The  library  reeked 
strongly  of  tobacco  and  spirits.  From  the  ruddy 
tinge  on  Copley's  face  he  had  partaken  of  more 
than  one  brandy  and  soda  already. 

Fielden  hoped  there  was  nothing  in  the  expression 
of  his  face  which  in  any  way  betrayed  his  thoughts. 
Fancy  a  man  like  this  married  to  a  girl  like  May 
Haredale  !  Copley  was  braggart  and  bully  to  his 
finger-tips — a  man  without  heart,  or  conscience,  or 
feeling.  Nay,  he  was  worse  than  this,  as  Fielden 
very  well  knew.  For  the  moment,  it  was  on  the 
tip  of  Harry's  tongue  to  say  he  had  thought  the 
matter  over  and  had  decided  to  decline  Copley's 
offer.  But  more  prudent  thoughts  prevailed.  It 
would  be  as  well  to  be  as  near  Copley  as  possible, 
to  be  on  the  spot,  to  act  when  disaster  threatened. 
Besides,  Fielden,  to  some  extent,  was  in  league 
with  Aaron  Phillips,  and  if  there  was  anything  in 
the  way  of  rascality  afoot,  it  might  be  possible  to 
detect  it.  It  would  be  a  fine  thing  to  go  to  Copley 
with  the  evidence  of  his  rascality  in  plain  black 
and  white,  and  agree  to  silence  on  the  condition 
that  this  persecution  of  Miss  Haredale  ceased. 


ON  THE  EDGE  91 

"  Ah !  you  have  come,"  Copley  said  in  his 
blunt  way.  "  Well,  I  have  arranged  every  thing 
for  you.  I  want  you  to  take  over  the  entire  manage- 
ment of  my  stable.  The  last  man  had  four  hundred 
a  year  and  the  run  of  the  house,  and  I  am  prepared 
to  offer  you  the  same  terms.  Everything  will  be 
left  in  your  hands.  As  I  told  you  last  night,  my 
racing  stable  is  only  a  side-show,  and  I  don't 
want  to  be  bothered  with  it.  You  can  make  a 
start  next  week  at  Mirst  Park.  I  have  horses 
running  in  races  both  days,  and  I  shall  probably 
run  down  myself.  But  you  know  the  ropes  well 
enough." 

"  I  think  you  can  leave  it  to  me,"  Fielden  re- 
marked. 

"  Very  well,  then,  that's  settled.  You  can  ask 
the  housekeeper  to  give  you  a  room.  You  can 
have  all  the  meals  you  want,  and  the  horses  will  be 
yours  to  handle  as  you  like.  I  must  wish  you  good 
morning,  for  I  have  a  score  of  things  to  occupy 
my  attention  before  I  motor  to  town  at  six  o'clock. 
I  think  that  will  do.  Good  day." 

Fielden  took  his  leave,  hardly  knowing  whether 
to  be  pleased  or  not.  He  spent  the  next  hour  or 
so  in  the  stables,  interviewing  the  stud  groom  and 
the  helpers,  who  seemed  to  know  all  about  the  new 
arrangement.  He  said  little  or  nothing  about  it, 
but  was  somewhat  surprised  to  find  what  a  poor 
set  of  horses  Copley  owned.  For  the  most  part 


92  HARD  PRESSED 

they  were  little  better  than  platers.  There  might 
be  a  racer  or  two  amongst  them,  but  only  for  small 
meetings.  The  groom  was  quite  open  in  his  com- 
ments, and  to  these  Fielden  listened  discreetly.  He 
was  free,  presently,  to  go  over  to  Haredale  Park  and 
get  his  belongings  together.  He  strode  across  the 
Downs  and  passed  the  wide  stretch  of  turf  where 
the  trial  of  the  Blenheim  colt  had  taken  place.  He 
was  hurrying  down  the  slope  when  he  came  face  to 
face  with  Aaron  Phillips. 

"  I  was  looking  for  you,"  the  latter  said.  "  I 
haven't  been  letting  the  grass  grow  under  my  feet 
since  we  met  last.  I  am  beginning  to  get  a  hold 
of  the  game.  We  shall  be  able  to  make  those 
fellows  sit  up  before  long.  I  suppose  you  couldn't 
manage  to  get  away  on  Friday  and  Saturday  next 
for  the  two  days'  racing  at  Mirst  Park  ?  If  ybu 
can,  I  shall  show  you  something  that  will  open 
your  eyes." 

"  As  it  happens,"  Fielden  explained,  "  I  am 
going  there.  I  have  just  been  appointed  a  kind  of 
general  manager  to  Mr.  Copley.  I  have  to  thank 
Sir  George  Haredale  for  this.  As  you  can  imagine, 
Phillips,  it  is  not  a  congenial  occupation.  But 
there  are  urgent  reasons  why  I  ought  to  accept 
it.  We  have  a  horse  or  two  entered  for  the  Mirst 
Park  meeting,  and  I  shall  go  with  them.  Now, 
then,  what  is  it  ?  " 

Aaron  Phillips'  face  lightened. 


ON   THE  EDGE  93 

"  What  a  stroke  of  luck  !  "  he  exclaimed.  "  In 
that  case,  I  need  not  detain  you  now.  But  I'll 
contrive  to  see  you  on  the  course,  and  then  I 
think  it  will  be  our  turn." 


CHAPTER    XII 

A   LION   IN  THE   PATH 

/COPLEY  did  not  appear  to  be  so  busy  as  he 
V^  had  professed  when  he  dismissed  Fielden 
so  unceremoniously.  He  lighted  a  fresh  cigar  and 
sat  down  moodily  over  a  mass  of  accounts.  He 
pushed  these  aside  presently,  and  took  up  a  copy  of 
the  Sportsman,  which  he  proceeded  to  read  with  a 
perplexed  frown  on  his  moody  face. 

"  I  cannot  for  the  life  of  me  understand  it,"  he 
muttered.  "  The  trial  was  fair  and  square,  and  I 
see  no  reason  why  the  boy's  information  was  not 
to  be  relied  upon.  But  that  colt  is  more  firmly 
established  in  the  betting  than  ever.  I  can't  recol- 
lect anything  like  it.  It  seemed  a  dead  sure  thing 
to  lay  that  money  against  the  horse.  And,  yet, 
though  I  laid  over  ten  thousand  pounds  against 
him,  in  this  morning's  paper  he  is  at  a  shorter  price 
than  before.  Well,  if  the  public  like  to  be  such 
fools,  it's  their  look-out,  not  mine.  Still,  it's 
unpleasant.  I  wonder  if  Foster  has  learnt  anything 
this  morning." 

Foster  came  in  a  moment  or  two  later.    His  usual 

H 


A  LION   IN  THE  PATH  95 

smile  had  deserted  him,  and  he  looked  troubled  and 
anxious. 

"  I  wanted  to  see  you,"  said  Copley.  "  I  can't 
for  the  life  of  me  understand  this  betting.  Here's 
the  Blenheim  colt  backed  for  a  ton  of  money  again. 
Why,  in  the  face  of  the  commission  we  have  put  on 
the  market,  he  ought  to  be  fairly  knocked  out." 

"  Oh,  I've  seen  it,"  Foster  replied.  "  I've  sent 
for  the  boy.  I  wonder  if  that  young  rascal  played 
us  false.  But,  no,  I  don't  think  he  would  dare 
do  that.  Besides,  he  stands  to  win  a  pot  of  money 
himself.  At  any  rate,  I  have  sent  for  him,  and  if 
there  was  anything  about  the  trial  that  was  not  fair 
we  shall  know  it  in  half  an  hour." 

For  the  next  hour  or  so  the  £wo  conspirators  sat 
discussing  the  matter.  Then  there  came  to  them 
a  diminutive  youth,  shrunken  and  clean-shaven, 
with  the  air  of  one  who  has  passed  all  his  life  in 
the  atmosphere  of  a  stable.  His  little  wizened 
face  was  white  with  agitation,  and  he  stood,  with 
his  eyes  cast  to  the  ground,  waiting  for  Copley  to 
speak. 

"  What  is  it  ?  "  the  latter  asked  roughly. 

"  I  don't  know,  sir,"  the  boy  said  humbly.  "  I 
don't  know  how  it  was  done.  Ah,  that  there  Raffle 
is  a  deep  'un.  I  made  sure  as  the  trial  the  other 
morning  was  all  open  and  above  board,  and  now  I 
find  as  how  it  wasn't  the  Blenheim  colt  we  saw  at 
all.  It  is  no  use  asking  me  to  explain,  gentlemen, 


96  HARD  PRESSED 

and  it  is  no  use  bullying  me,  for  the  more  you  do  that 
the  more  muddled  I  get.  It  is  only  a  word  or  two 
I  'eard  between  Raffle  and  the  'ead  lad  that  put  me 
on  the  scent.  We've  got  two  or  three  'osses  in  the 
stable  as  like  the  Blenheim  colt  as  two  peas.  They 
are  nearly  all  the  same  blood,  you  know.  What 
old  Raffle  is  a-driving  at,  I  dunno.  But  it  looks  as 
if  one  colt  was  changed  for  another  at  the  last 
moment,  and  nobody  would  have  been  any  the 
wiser  if  I  hadn't  'card  that  little  conversation  this 
blessed  morning." 

Copley  and  Foster  exchanged  glances.  It  was 
no  use  to  scarify  the  boy,  for  the  conspiracy  was 
none  of  his  making,  and  he  was  obviously  telling  the 
truth  ;  indeed,  he  had  been  well  paid  to  bring 
information  to  Copley  and  had  nothing  to  gain  by 
further  deception.  But  what  was  the  meaning 
of  it  all  ?  Why  had  Raffle  chosen  to  bring  off  a 
mock  trial  ?  So  far  as  Copley  knew,  Raffle  had  no 
reason  to  suspect  the  honesty  of  the  stable  boy. 
He  could  not  know  that  he  was  in  Copley's  pay, 
nor  could  he  have  known,  either,  that  Copley  and 
Foster  would  witness  that  early  morning  trial. 
Could  it  be  that  there  was  some  one  else  in  the  field 
whom  Raffle  wished  to  deceive  ?  At  any  rate, 
whether  that  was  so  or  not,  Joe  Raffle  had  put  both 
Copley  and  his  accomplice  in  a  hole.  After  witness- 
ing the  trial  they  had  laid  against  the  colt  to  an 
enormous  amount,  and,  after  all,  Sir  George  Hare- 


A  LION   IN  THE  PATH  97 

dale's  horse  might  win  the  Derby.  They  dis- 
missed the  boy  with  strict  injunctions  to  keep  his 
eyes  open  and  let  them  know  the  latest  develop- 
ments. Then  they  talked  the  matter  over  to  see 
if  they  could  find  some  way  out  of  the  trouble. 

"  It's  a  bit  of  a  facer,"  Copley  muttered.  "  I 
am  bound  to  confess  I  never  expected  anything 
like  this.  I  wonder  what  that  old  fox  Raffle  was 
driving  at  ?  Whom  is  he  trying  to  deceive  ?  I'd 
give  something  to  know." 

"  What  does  it  matter  ?  "  Foster  asked  impa- 
tiently. "  Wilfully  or  not,  he  has  deceived  us. 
As  I  figure  it  out,  we  stand  to  lose  something  like 
five  thousand  pounds.  If  that  horse  starts  fit  and 
well  for  the  Derby  we  shall  be  in  a  rare  mess.  And 
there's  nothing  to  beat  the  colt.  It  would  be  mad- 
dening to  be  done  at  the  beginning  of  the  season. 
Fancy  having  to  upset  all  our  plans  because  of  a 
misfortune  like  this  !  " 

"  Unless  we  could  stop  the  colt,"  Copley 
suggested. 

Foster  looked  keenly  across  the  table  at  his 
companion. 

"  That's  not  a  bad  idea,"  he  said  thoughtfully. 
"  If  the  Blenheim  colt  lost  the  Derby  we  should  win 
ten  thousand  pounds  at  least.  At  the  price  the 
horse  stands  in  the  betting  to-day,  we  could  lay 
another  twenty  thousand  pounds  without  knocking 
him  altogether  out  of  the  betting.  I  don't  call  to 

G 


98  HARD  PRESSED 

mind  a  case  in  which  the  public  have  been  more 
infatuated  about  a  horse.  Why,  our  commission 
never  shook  him  at  all.  Suppose,  without  anybody 
knowing  it,  we  could  guarantee  that  the  horse 
didn't  start.  In  that  case,  we  could  lay  a  hundred 
thousand  pounds  against  him,  with  the  absolute 
knowledge  that  it  would  be  only  a  question  of  time 
before  we  scooped  up  the  money.  Our  Mirst  Park 
scheme  is  a  mere  fleabite  to  it." 

Copley's  sombre  eyes  lighted  a  little. 

"  Yes,  if  we  could  only  do  it,"  he  sneered.  "  But 
the  age  for  that  game  is  past.  There  is  no  chance 
of  hocussing  a  horse,  or  laming  him,  or  bribing  a 
stable  boy,  or  squaring  a  jockey.  That  was  all 
very  well  in  the  old  days,  when  meetings  were  few 
and  far  between,  and  we  hadn't  got  an  enlightened 
Press  that  watches  everything  as  a  cat  watches  a 
mouse.  It's  no  use  wasting  time  over  idle  dreams 
of  that  sort,  Foster.  Poor  as  he  is,  Sir  George 
wouldn't  even  hear  of  such  a  thing." 

"  Think  not  ?  "  Foster  asked.  "  Well,  I  believe 
myself  that  every  man  has  his  price.  I  have  never 
found  anything  to  the  contrary.  I  thought  you 
were  a  fool  to  come  down  here  at  all.  I  thought 
you  were  a  fool  to  allow  yourself  to  be  fascinated 
by  that  girl,  but  now  I  begin  to  see  a  way  of  turning 
it  to  account.  I  don't  suppose  she'll  marry  you. 
I  never  thought  she  would." 

The  big  veins  on  Copley's  temples  thickened. 


A  LION   IN  THE  PATH  99 

"  Stow  that,"  he  said  hoarsely.  "  You  are  going 
too  far.  I'll  not  listen  to  a  word  of  it.  It  is  no 
business  of  yours.  If  you  have  anything  good  to 
suggest,  I  shall  be  glad  to  listen  to  it,  but  I'll  thank 
you  to  leave  Miss  Haredale's  name  out  of  the 
discussion." 

"  Oh,  very  well,"  Foster  said  sulkily.  "  But,  in 
this  case,  one  thing  leads  to  another.  To  gain 
Miss  Haredale  you  found  money  for  her  father 
when  we  could  have  done  with  it  ourselves — 
indeed,  we  wanted  it  pretty  badly.  Now  is  your 
chance  to  get  it  back,  and  more.  Sir  George  can't 
pay  you.  He  could  as  easily  repay  a  million.  He 
will  find,  too,  that  it  is  impossible  to  coerce 
Miss  Haredale  into  marrying  you.  Don't  get 
wild.  I  don't  want  to  introduce  the  young  lady's 
name  more  than  I  can  help,  but  I  am  bound  to 
5peak  of  her.  You  will  find  that  she  will  hold  out 
to  the  end,  and  that,  if  need  be,  she  won't  object  to 
leaving  Haredale  Park.  But  Sir  George  will  cut  up 
rough  when  the  time  comes.  He  is  chockful  of 
family  pride.  He  is  the  sort  of  chap  who  is  wedded 
to  the  family  home,  and  when  the  pinch  comes 
you'll  find  him  ready  for  anything.  Of  course, 
he  will  make  a  fuss.  He  will  ask  you  how  VQU 
dare  suggest  such  a  thing  to  him,  but  it  will  come 
right  in  the  end." 

Copley  glanced  contemptuously  at  the  speaker. 

"  What  are  you  talking  about  ?  "  he  exclaimed. 


ioo  HARD   PRESSED 

"  What  are  you  driving  at  ?  Do  you  take  Sir  George 
for  an  utter  fool  ?  Do  you  suppose  that  he  is 
likely  to  scratch  a  horse  he  has  backed  to  win  or 
lose  everything  he  has  ?  " 

"  Well,  why  not  ?  He  backed  the  colt  at  a  very 
long  price,  and  I  don't  suppose  he  has  put  down  more 
than  a  thousand  altogether.  On  the  other  hand, 
he  owes  you  at  least  forty.  Suppose  you  ask  him 
to  pay  that  back  at  once.  Suppose  you  let  him 
know  that  if  he  doesn't  you  will  turn  him  out  of 
his  house  a  mere  beggar.  Suppose,  if  he  con- 
sent, you  offer  to  wipe  out  his  debt  and  give  him, 
say  ten  thousand  pounds,  the  day  after  the  colt 
is  scratched.  You  needn't  do  it  now  ;  you  can  wait 
a  month.  Then  you  can  put  the  screw  on  at  once. 
He'll  kick,  jib,  order  you  out  of  the  house,  but  he 
will  knuckle  under  in  the  long  run.  If  he  doesn't, 
then  I'm  a  fool  and  know  nothing  about  human 
nature.  Why,  the  thing  is  so  easy  and  perfectly 
safe  not  a  soul  will  know  anything  about  it. 
The  colt  pulls  up  lame  one  day  at  exercise,  he  is 
reported  to  be  coughing,  and  before  the  fools  who 
back  horses  know  what  has  happened  the  pen  has 
been  put  through  the  name  of  the  favourite.  You've 
got  the  game  entirely  in  your  hands.  Then  we  can 
get  our  commissions  out  all  over  the  country  and 
make  a  fortune  without  a  penn'orth  of  risk.  By 
Jove  !  it  makes  me  tremble  only  to  think  of  it.  If 
the  thing  is  properly  worked,  we  should  divide  half 


A  LION   IN   THE   PATH  101 

a  million  between  us.     Now,  what  have  you  got 
to  say  to  that  ?     Doesn't  it  sound  right  ?  " 

Copley  brought  his  fist  down  upon  the  table. 

"  By  gad,"  he  exclaimed,  "  I'll  do  it,  Foster ! " 


CHAPTER   XIII 

"AN   OFFICER  AND  A   GENTLEMAN  " 

AS  most  people  are  aware,  the  camp-followers 
of  the  turf  are  a  large  body  whose  ways  of 
earning  a  living  are,  to  say  the  least  of  it,  peculiar. 
This  noble  army  numbers  folk  of  all  kinds,  from 
the  member  of  a  swagger  West  End  club  to  the 
humble  seller  of  cards  on  the  various  courses. 
Amongst  these,  in  his  place,  came  Aaron  Phillips. 
If  he  had  been  asked,  he  would  probably  have  said 
that  he  was  a  professional  backer  of  horses,  a 
description  which  covers  a  wide  field  and  embraces 
many  methods  of  getting  a  living — more  or  less 
honestly. 

In  all  likelihood  Phillips  would  have  resented  the 
imputation  that  he  was  not  a  sportsman,  and  have 
declared  emphatically  that  he  was  nothing  else. 
He  had  been  connected  with  racing  ever  since  he 
could  recollect,  but  had  never  been  across  a  horse 
in  his  life,  and  would  have  found  it  impossible  to 
pick  out  the  good  points  of  an  animal.  But 
he  was  fond  of  horses  in  his  way.  He  had  heard 

them  talked  about  for  years,  and  most  of  the  fre- 

ioa 


<"  AN  OFFICER  AND  A  GENTLEMAN  "    103 

quenters  of  his  father's  public-house  were  either 
followers  of  racing  or  indirectly  mixed  up  with 
the  "  sport  of  kings."  He  had  been  born,  too,  in 
1  he  vicinity  of  a  classic  course  and  had  always  taken 
the  greatest  interest  in  the  dramatic  side  of  the  turf. 
There  was  not  an  ingenious  swindle  but  he  had 
the  details  of  it  by  heart. 

For  some  years  before  his  departure  for  South 
Africa  he  had  followed  racing  from  one  course  to 
another.  Though  he  had  never  done  anything 
deliberately  dishonest,  he  was  up  to  every  dodge, 
always  seemed  to  have  money  in  his  pocket,  and 
was  invariably  well  dressed.  The  fact  that  his 
mother  had  belonged  to  one  of  the  leading  Romany 
tribes  Phillips  found  greatly  to  his  advantage. 
He  was  never  above  passing  the  time  of  day 
with  such  nomads  as  he  encountered,  and  more 
than  once  had  benefited  by  this  politeness.  Had 
he  ever  wanted  a  useful  and  faithful  tool,  something 
uncommonly  smart  in  the  way  of  a  human  ferret, 
he  knew  where  to  put  his  hand  on  such  a  person. 
Strange  as  it  may  seem,  there  was  never  a  great 
fraud  connected  with  the  turf  that  was  not  freely 
whispered  amongst  its  humble  followers  long 
before  it  reached  the  ears  of  the  authorities. 
More  than  once  Phillips  had  listened  to  the  outline 
of  a  story  which  would  have  astonished  the  magnates 
of  the  Jockey  Club  if  they  could  have  heard  it.  And 
it  was  by  such  means  that  he  had  managed  to  pick 


104  HARD  PRESSED 

up  the  threads  of  a  plot  which,  before  long,  seemed 
likely  to  promise  sensational  disclosures.  It  was 
an  additional  satisfaction  to  Phillips  to  know  that 
the  main  persons  in  this  plot  were  his  old  enemies 
Raymond  Copley  and  Foster.  He  had  followed  up 
the  clues  in  his  patient  way,  and  at  last  had  some- 
thing really  definite  to  go  upon. 

It  might  be  inferred  that  Phillips  already  had 
these  two  in  the  hollow  of  his  hand.  But  he  had 
learnt  patience  in  the  hard  school  of  adversity, 
and  had  no  intention  of  throwing  away  the  chance 
of  making  money  for  the  mere  sake  of  revenge.  At 
any  moment  he  might  have  pricked  the  glittering 
bubble  which  Copley  had  blown,  and  laid  both 
scoundrels  by  the  heels  in  gaol,  but  that  would 
have  entailed  loss  of  time  and  a  considerable 
sojourn  in  South  Africa,  without  any  material  return 
beyond  that  of  triumph  over  his  enemies.  Now  he 
was  beginning  to  see  a  way  to  crush  both  Copley 
and  Foster,  and  fill  his  own  pockets  at  the  same  time. 

He  was  not  without  his  peculiar  code  of  honour. 
Harry  Fielden  had  defended  him  at  one  time  and 
he  was  not  going  to  forget  it.  Fielden  would 
have  been  astonished  to  learn  how  much  Phillips 
knew  about  his  affairs.  He  knew,  for  instance,  all 
about  May  Haredale.  He  knew  that  Copley  was 
infatuated  w.th  the  girl  and  was  prepared  to 
go  any  lengths  to  make  her  his  wife.  He  knew 
too,  pretty  well  what  was  in  old  Raffle's  mind,  and 


•:*'  AN  OFFICER  AND  A  GENTLEMAN  "    105 

chuckled  as  he  thought  of  it.     And  now  the  time 
had  come  to  fire  the  first  shot. 

He  turned  out  of  his  lodgings  on  a  sunny  Friday 
in  February,  and  made  his  way  to  Russell  Square. 
He  was  more  carefully  dressed  than  usual  and  wore 
a  dark,  quiet-looking  suit,  with  a  grey  overcoat  and 
felt  hat.  His  gloves  were  neat,  his  boots  well 
polished,  and,  save  the  horseshoe  pin  in  his  white 
cravat,  there  was  no  suggestion  of  the  racing  man 
about  him.  He  turned  presently  into  Kelly  Street, 
and,  knocking  at  the  door  of  a  certain  house,  asked 
for  Major  Garden.  The  Major,  he  was  informed, 
was  just  finishing  breakfast,  but  would  see  Mr. 
Phillips. 

It  was  the  usual  room  in  a  lodging-house — shabby 
Axminster  carpet,  dingy  horsehair  furniture,  with 
the  inevitable  lustres  on  the  mantelpiece.  The 
tablecloth  was  none  too  clean,  though  on  it  was  a 
vase  or  two  of  flowers,  tastefully  arranged.  At  one 
end  of  the  table  sat  a  stout  pink-faced  person  with 
a  carefully-trimmed  grey  moustache.  He  was  a 
typical  specimen  of  the  retired  military  man,  bluff 
and  hearty  in  manner,  with  a  pair  of  faded  grey  eyes 
faintly  tinged  with  pink.  Evidently,  too,  he  had 
been  accustomed  to  mix  with  the  best  people,  as 
he  would  have  phrased  it  himself.  Probably,  he 
still  belonged  to  a  good  club,  and  no  doubt  found  it 
exceedingly  difficult  to  make  both  ends  meet. 

The  second  person  at  the  breakfast  table  was  an 


106  HARD   PRESSED 

exceedingly  pretty  girl,  who  looked  none  the  less 
refined  and  attractive  because  her  black  dress 
was  of  the  plainest.  She  was  chattering  gaily  as 
Phillips  came  in.  She  appeared  to  have  a  proper 
»espect  and  affection  for  her  father,  whose  words 
she  seemed  to  hang  upon.  The  Major  looked  up 
from  the  table  and  nodded  genially. 

"  You  are  punctual,  Phillips,"  he  said.  "  I  am 
afraid  I  am  a  little  late  this  morning.  Alice,  my 
dear,  this  is  Mr.  Phillips.  He  is  the  distinguished 
journalist  I  was  telling  you  about  last  night.  We 
arc  both  connected  with  the  same  papers." 

As  the  Major  spoke,  he  winked  swiftly  at  Phillips, 
and  the  latter  smiled.  What  the  Major  was  driving 
at  he  hadn't  the  remotest  idea. 

"  Oh,  yes,"  he  murmured.  "  The  Major  and 
I  are  old  friends." 

The  girl  smiled  pleasantly.  She  appeared  a  trifle 
shy,  and  gave  Phillips  the  impression  that  she  had 
no  friends,  and  that  her  young  life  was,  for  the  most 
part,  a  constant  sacrifice  for  her  selfish  and  dissipated 
father.  She  rose  presently,  and  with  an  excuse 
left  the  two  men  together.  Immediately  she  was 
gone  the  Major  crossed  the  room  and  produced  a 
bottle  of  brandy,  from  which  he  helped  himself 
liberally.  Phillips  curtly  refused. 

"I  met  some  old  friends  last  night,"  the  Major 
said.  "  I  am  afraid  I  was  just  a  little — well,  you 
know  how  it  is." 


•"  AN  OFFICER  AND  A  GENTLEMAN  "    107 

"  I  do,"  Phillips  said  shortly.  "  But  what  did 
you  tell  that  lie  for  ?  What  have  we  got  to  do  with 
journalism  ?  " 

"  My  dear  sir,  there  are  times  when  one  must 
dissemble.  I  know  I  am  a  bit  of  an  old  scamp,  but, 
you  see,  my  daughter  doesn't  know  it.  I  wouldn't 
for  worlds  like  her  to  know  the  life  I  am  leading. 
She  is  a  good  girl  and  believes  in  me,  and  I  have 
managed  to  give  her  a  fine  education.  She  is  the 
only  thing  I  have  in  the  world  to  care  for.  She  is 
the  only  thing  that  has  kept  me  from  going  headlong 
to  the  dogs.  I  daresay  when  I  am  done  with,  some 
of  my  relations  will  look  after  her.  Meanwhile, 
they  take  precious  good  care  to  keep  me  at  arm's 
length.  I  don't  blame  them,  either.  I  hit  upon 
the  journalistic  dodge  to  account  for  my  late 
hours.  I  was  afraid  you  might  give  me  away. 
I  am  bound  to  tell  you  this,  and  I  hope  you  will 
respect  my  confidence.  Well,  now,  what  do  you 
want  me  for  ?  Sit  down  a  minute." 

*'  I  have  come  to  put  a  little  money  in  your  way," 
Phillips  replied.  "  I  gave  you  a  hint  of  what  I  was 
after  the  night  before  last.  They  tell  me  you  are  a 
member  of  the  Post  Club." 

"  Oh,  yes,"  Garden  replied.  "  I  have  managed, 
somehow  or  other,  to  keep  myself  on  the  club  books. 
Not  that  I  go  to  the  Post  very  much,  because  I  can't 
afford  it.  If  I  meet  a  young  friend  occasionally 
who  is  anxious  to  see  life,  I  take  him  there  to  lunch, 


108  HARD  PRESSED 

on  the  strict  understanding,  of  course,  that  he  repays 
me." 

"  Then  I  want  you  to  take  me  there.  I  would  like 
to  lunch  there  to-day,  and  I  wish  you  to  introduce 
me  to  Mr.  Rickerby,  the  commission  agent.  It  is  a 
very  simple  matter.  If  you  can  bring  this  about 
and  get  me  half  an  hour's  conversation  with  Rickerby 
after  lunch,  I'll  give  you  a  tenner  and  pay  for  the 
lunch  besides.  There's  no  risk  and  no  responsibility 
as  far  as  you  are  concerned." 

The  Major  pondered  the  matter. 

"  What  are  you  up  to  ? "  he  asked  pre- 
sently. 

"  That,"  Phillips  said,  "  is  no  business  of  yours. 
But  I  assure  you  that  I  am  up  to  nothing  wrong. 
Nothing  I  can  say  or  do  will  get  you  into  trouble. 
I  don't  mind  telling  you  there  is  a  big  swindle  on 
foot  to  rob  the  leading  bookmakers  and  commission 
agents  and  I  am  trying  to  expose  it.  If  I  do,  there 
will  be  a  good  round  sum  of  money  for  me,  and  if  I 
fail,  I  shall  be  none  the  worse  off.  Now,  are  you 
game  ?  " 

The  Major  smiled.  At  that  moment  ten-pound 
notes  were  scarce,  and  Phillips'  offer  came  in 
the  nature  of  a  windfall.  But  it  was  not  part  of 
his  diplomacy  to  accept  the  suggestion  too 
eagerly. 

"  I  think  so,"  he  said.  "  I  don't  see  why  I 
shouldn't  accommodate  you.  Perhaps,  later, 


"  AN  OFFICER  AND  A  GENTLEMAN  "    109 

you  might  have  something  else  to  put  in  my  way." 
"Very  well,   then,"   Phillips  replied.     "I    need 
not  detain  you  now.    I'll  meet  you  at  the  club  at 
half-past  one." 


CHAPTER   XIV 

THE   POST  CLUB 

THERE  are  several  smart  betting  clubs  in 
London,  but  none  smarter  or  more  up-to-date 
than  the  Post  Club.  Like  most  institutions  of  the 
kind,  it  is  somewhat  mixed  and  largely  devoted  to 
the  purposes  of  gambling.  All  sorts  and  conditions 
of  men  can  be  met  there,  from  the  magnates  of  the 
turf  down  to  small  bookmakers.  At  the  same  time 
the  subscription  is  a  heavy  one  and  the  entrance 
fee  large.  It  is  so  large,  indeed,  that  the  police 
have  never  been  bold  enough  to  raid  the  club,  which 
is  conducted  on  the  best  principles.  Betting  on  the 
tape  goes  on  to  an  'enormous  extent,  and  there  on 
most  afternoons  of  the  racing  season  nearly  all  the 
chief  commission  agents  can  be  found.  The  club 
premises  consist  of  a  billiard-room,  dining-room, 
and  smoking-room,  the  last  fitted  with  several  tape 
machines,  which  bring  the  result  of  the  day's  racing 
directly  from  the  course.  Great  wagers  are  con- 
stantly being  made  and  sometimes  enormous  bets 
effected  even  after  the  horses  have  been  dispatched 

Y>y  the  starter. 

no 


THE  POST  CLUB  in 

Till  after  lunch  the  club  is  very  quiet  as  a  rule. 
On  the  first  day  of  the  Mirst  Park  Meeting  not  more 
than  half  a  dozen  racing  men  were  in  the  dining-room. 
At  a  little  table  near  the  door  sat  the  Major  and  his 
guest,  discussing  a  dainty  luncheon  to  the  accom- 
paniment of  a  choice  brand  of  champagne.  The 
Major  was  beaming.  This  was  a  pastime  after  his 
own  heart,  and  seeing  that  the  luncheon  was  costing 
him  nothing  he  was  doing  the  thing  very  lavishly 
indeed.  There  was  something  almost  regal  in  the 
way  he  spoke  to  the  waiters.  His  manner  was  bland 
and  florid,  and,  beyond  all  was  the  consciousness  of 
the  five-pound  note  in  his  pocket  which  Phillips  had 
given  him  to  pay  for  the  repast.  They  sat  for  some 
little  time,  when  the  door  was  flung  violently  open 
and  a  large  man  in  an  impossible  waistcoat  came 
into  the  dining-room. 

Full-bodied  and  scarlet,  he  had  an  air  of  prosperity 
and  in  an  aggressive  way  suggested  money.  Most  per- 
sons in  the  sporting  world  were  familiar  with  that 
huge  personage  in  the  striking  waistcoat,  for  it  was 
none  other  than  Mr.  Rickerby,  of  a  firm  of  turf 
accountants,  who  advertised  that  they  recognized 
no  limit.  In  early  life  Mr.  Rickerby,  or  Rick,  as 
his  friends  styled  him,  had  been  a  butcher.  He 
had  failed  at  that  principally  because  he  spent  most 
of  his  time  backing  horses  or  arranging  prize-fights. 
After  he  had  passed  through  the  Bankruptcy  Court 
he  began  with  a  small  silver  book  and,  having  a  real 


ii2  HARD   PRESSED 

genius  for  figures,  together  with  a  striking  presence, 
an  enormous  voice  and  amazing  audacity  which 
amounted  almost  to  simplicity,  he  soon  made  head- 
way in  his  new  profession.  In  a  short  time  he  took 
a  partner  who  had  been  a  smart  accountant,  and 
now  had  a  suite  of  palatial  offices  in  the  £Strand, 
where  he  kept  a  large  staff  of  clerks,  and  where 
telephone  messages  were  pouring  in  almost  day  and 
night.  Rickerby  was  a  leviathan,  and  though  he 
by  no  means  despised  the  small  fish  that  came  into 
his  net,  revelled  in  big  bets  and  dramatic  wagers. 

He  nodded  to  the  Major  with  a  mixture  of  insolent 
familiarity  and  fawning  politeness.  Occasionally 
the  Major  was  of  use  to  him.  Besides,  Garden  was 
well  connected  and  Mr.  Rickerby  had  a  profound 
admiration  for  the  aristocracy.  He  would  have 
passed  on  only,  at  a  sign  from  Phillips,  Garden 
detained  him. 

"  Come  and  lunch  with  us,  Rickerby,"  he  said. 
"  Try  this  new  brand  of  champagne.  Waiter,  lay 
a  place  for  Mr.  Rickerby.  Bring  another  bottle. 
No,  on  second  thoughts,  you  had  better  bring  a 
magnum.  Rickerby,  let  me  introduce  my  friend 
Mr.  Phillips.  He  is  just  home  from  the  Cape." 

Rickerby  touched  an  imaginary  forelock. 

"  Proud  to  make  your  acquaintance,  sir,"  he  said. 
"  Do  you  do  anything  in  our  line  ?  " 

"  Well,  I  have,"  Phillips  said.  "  I  used  to  follow 
racing  closely  enough  before  I  left  England.  Out 


THE  POST  CLUB  113 

yonder,  from  my  point  of  view,  I  found  something 
better.  Still,  there  is  nothing  so  fascinating  as  the 
great  game.  I  daresay  I  shall  make  a  wager  or  two 
before  the  season  is  over.  I  suppose  one  can't  make 
bets  here  ?  " 

"  Not  unless  you  are  a  member,'*  the  Major 
explained.  "  The  committee  are  most  particular 
about  that  kind  of  thing.  They  must  think  of 
the  police.  But  I've  no  doubt  Rickerby  will  be  glad 
to  accommodate  you." 

"  Certainly,  sir,"  Rickerby  said.  "  Up  to  any 
amount  you  like.  The  Major's  introduction  is  good 
enough  for  me,  and  a  telegram  or  letter  will  always 
receive  attention." 

Gradually  the  conversation  became  more  general. 
Luncheon  was  a  thing  of  the  past,  and  cigars  and 
coffee  had  been  set  out  in  the  smoking-room.  Phillips 
seemed  to  find  Rickerby  a  mine  of  interesting  infor- 
mation, for  he  plied  him  with  diplomatic  questions. 
Under  the  influence  of  the  champagne  and  brandy 
Rickerby  expanded. 

"  Swindles,  my  dear  sir !  "  he  exclaimed.  "  There 
is  no  end  to  them.  We  drop  on  a  dozen  dodges 
every  year  of  which  the  public  know  nothing.  Why 
don't  we  prosecute  ?  Because  it  isn't  worth  while, 
and  the  police  are  not  sympathetic.  Moreover, 
why  should  we  let  the  public  know  of  ways  and 
means  by  which  they  might  rob  us  ?  Ah,  I  could 
tell  you  of  one  or  two  men,  and  big  men,  too,  in  some 

H 


H4  HARD  PRESSED 

of  the  West  End  clubs  who  would  find  themselves 
in  a  pretty  tight  place  if  some  of  us  only  liked  to 
open  our  mouths.  But  what's  the  use  ?  Why 
throw  good  money  after  bad  ?  " 

"  But  don't  you  get  done  ?  "  Phillips  asked. 

"  Well,  very  rarely,"  Rickerby  responded,  "  but 
there  are  others  in  the  club,  who  seem  to  me  to  lay 
themselves  out  for  that  sort  of  thing.  There's  a 
chap  here  called  Selwyn,  a  rich  young  Australian 
fool,  who  thinks  he  knows  everything.  He's 
just  the  type  of  mark  that  the  broken-down  racing 
man  prays  for.  He's  in  the  hands  of  one  or  two 
here  who  are  robbing  him  of  thousands.  He's  soft 
enough  to  make  bets  five  minutes  after  a  race  has 
been  run.  I've  tipped  him  a  hint  once  or  twice,  but 
bless  you,  it's  no  use.  It  is  waste  of  breath  to  tell 
Selwyn  that  the  men  in  whose  hands  he  is  are 
manipulating  the  telephone  or  wire  and  always 
betting  on  a  dead  certainty.  One  or  two  of  tbe 
bets  have  been  offered  to  me,  but  I  am  not  taking 
any.  I  daresay  you  may  think  I  ought  to  expose 
these  people,  but  I've  got  something  better  to  do." 

"  I  should  like  to  ask  you  one  question,"  Phillips 
said.  "  Have  you  noticed  by  any  chance  if  the 
people  you  are  speaking  about  are  particularly  lucky 
in  their  bets  on  races  run  at  Mirst  Park  ?  " 

Rickerby  looked  admiringly  at  the  speaker. 

"  Ah  !  "  he  exclaimed,  "  you  know  more  than  I 
gave  you  credit  for,  but  perhaps  you  are  in  the  riabit 


THE  POST  CLUB  115 

of  studying  this  kind  of  thing.  Now  I  come  to  think 
of  it,  I  do  recollect  hearing  it  said  that  Selwyn  had 
dropped  a  lot  of  money  to  these  men  last  Mirst 
Park  Meeting.  If  you  really  know  anything,  Mr. 
Phillips,  I  think  you  ought  to  say  so." 

"  Oh,  I  won't  go  quite  so  far  as  that,"  Phillips 
said  modestly  ;  "  it's  only  an  idea  that  occurred  to 
me  which  I  was  reminded  of  by  something  I  read 
when  I  was  in  South  Africa.  But  mightn't  this 
be  a  coincidence  ?  " 

"  I  think  not,"  Rickerby  replied,  "  you  could 
hardly  say  that  of  a  series  of  bets  in  which  Selwyn 
always  loses  and  which  are  never  made  till  after  the 
race  is  run." 

"  Extraordinary,"  Phillips  said.  "  But  I  can't 
see  how  it  can  be  anything  more  than  a  mere  coinci- 
dence. I  suppose  you  do  a  tremendous  lot  of  late 
betting." 

"  My  dear  sir,  that  is  exactly  what  the  club  is  for. 
Some  of  us  wouldn't  be  able  to  live  without  it.  But, 
all  the  same,  we  don't  bet  a  second  after  the  official 
time  of  starting." 

By  this  time  the  smoking-room  was  -filling  up 
rapidly.  Two  or  three  score  of  men  had  come  mainly 
to  hear  the  result  of  the  afternoon's  racing  and  to 
make  their  bets  up  to  the  very  last  moment  that 
wagers  were  accepted.  Phillips,  apparently  per- 
fectly satisfied  with  what  he  had  heard,  lounged  in 
one  corner  smoking  a  cigar,  watching  the  crowd  of 


n6  HARD   PRESSED 

sportsmen  keenly  out  of  the  corner  of  his  eye.  He 
seemed  to  have  one  glance,  too,  for  the  weather 
outside,  which  had  changed  somewhat,  for  the  sky 
was  overcast  and  flakes  of  snow  were  falling. 
A  little  later  the  room  was  almost  in  darkness 
and  the  whole  world  seemed  to  be  lost  in  a 
white  drift.  The  clock  over  the  mantelpiece  pointed 
to  nearly  twenty  minutes  past  three.  The  result  of 
the  three  o'clock  race  had  been  announced,  and,  so 
far  as  Phillips  could  tell,  there  had  not  been  one 
sensational  incident  in  the  way  of  a  bet. 

"  Your  friend  Selwyn  is  evidently  not  present  to- 
day," Phillips  observed,  as  Rickerby  dropped  into 
a  seat  by  his  side. 

"  Oh,  yes,  he  is,"  the  bookmaker  retorted. 

"  That's  very  interesting,"  Phillips  said.  "  I 
wish  you  would  introduce  me  to  Mr.  Selwyn.  I 
think  a  little  later  I  shall  be  able  to  show  him  a  way 
of  saving  money." 


CHAPTER    XV 

JOLLY  &   CO. 

PHILLIPS  slipped  out  of  the  club  by  and  by, 
and  for  a  while  walked  up  and  down  opposite, 
studying  the  building  in  which  the  Post  Club  was 
situated.  It  was  a  large  block  of  offices  on  five  or 
six  floors,  mostly  given  over  to  merchants  and 
dealers  whose  business  was  in  connexion  with  Covent 
Garden  Market.  Moving  up  and  down  as  if  waiting 
for  a  friend,  Phillips  was  making  an  exceedingly 
careful  scrutiny  of  the  building. 

"  It  isn't  as  easy  as  I  thought  it  was  at  first," 
he  said.  "  I've  got  a  pretty  shrewd  idea,  for  which 
I  have  in  the  main  to  thank  that  snowstorm.  It 
is  evident  that  Rickerby  is  perfectly  right,  and 
that  there  is  some  cunning  plot  afoot  to  rob  this 
Selwyn.  I  wonder  whether  Rickerby  was  alluding 
to  Raymond  Copley.  It  can't  be  anybody  else. 
Now  it  is  clear  the  gang  cannot  make  late  bets 
during  a  snowstorm  or  thick  mist  or  anything 
of  that  kind.  I  should  like  to  know  how  they 
manage  to  get  the  name  of  the  winner  into  the 
club  before  the  horse  is  past  the  post.  But  that 

117 


n8  HARD  PRESSED 

I  must  leave  for  the  present.  The  point  I  have 
to  find  out  now  is  how  the  man  upstairs  who 
comes  to  do  the  betting  gets  his  information.  If 
there  was  another  block  of  buildings  opposite 
the  club  I  could  understand  it,  because  it  would  be 
easy  to  signal  from  one  window  to  another.  But 
there's  nothing  opposite  except  the  Market  with 
a  lot  of  porters  hanging  about,  and  I  don't  suppose 
they  have  anything  to  do  with  it.  The  puzzle 
beats  me  for  the  moment.  Still,  having  got  so 
far,  it  is  hard  if  I  can't  get  to  the  bottom  of  it. 
The  signal  must  come  from  somewhere  in  the  block 
of  buildings  where  the  club  is  situated.  Well, 
that  gives  me  something  to  go  on  with  anyhow, 
and  I  haven't  much  time  to  spare,  especially  as  I 
must  meet  Fielden  to-morrow  at  Mirst  Park.  I 
suppose  there  is  only  one  thing  to  do,  and  that  is  to 
find  out  the  name  and  occupation  of  every  firm  which 
has  an  office  under  the  roof.  The  first  thing  I  need 
is  a  Post  Office  Directory." 

With  the  aid  of  this  book  he  managed  to  winnow 
down  the  doubtful  firms  to  five  or  six.  The  rest  he 
found  were  established  houses  engaged  in  legitimate 
trade,  the  others  being  more  or  less  new-comers  whose 
callings  were  rather  nondescript.  By  a  stroke 
of  good  fortune,  just  before  five  o'clock  Phillips 
obtained  the  assistance  of  a  clerk  in  a  fruit  concern, 
whose  firm  was  in  the  block  of  buildings  in  which 
the  club  was  housed,  and  the  doubtful  firms  were 


JOLLY  &  CO.  119 

reduced  to  two.  Standing  outside  looking  up  at  the 
club,  the  windows  of  which  were  now  in  darkness, 
Phillips  saw  that  next  door  were  a  couple  of 
windows  bearing  on  their  wire  blinds  the  legend, 
Jolly  &  Co.  There  was  a  light  behind  the  blinds, 
so  that  the  lettering  stood  out  clear  and  dis- 
tinct. 

"  I  think  I  am  getting  on,"  Phillips  commented. 
"  Now,  how  am  I  going  to  find  out  about  Jolly  & 
Co.  ?  It  is  a  bit  too  dangerous  to  ask  casually  for 
Mr.  Jolly.  But,  stop.  Most  of  the  people  have 
left,  and  it  is  any  odds  the  light  has  been  used  by 
the  charwoman  who  is  cleaning  out  the  offices.  It 
won't  do  any  harm  to  go  up  and  see." 

Phillips  put  his  plan  into  execution.  He  came  at 
length  to  the  second  floor,  and  stopped  at  a  door  at 
the  end  of  the  passage  which  led  to  the  rooms  occupied 
by  the  Post  Club.  On  the  door  the  name  of  Jolly  & 
Co.  was  painted  in  white  letters.  From  behind  it 
came  the  sound  of  scrubbing.  Phillips  entered 
boldly.  The  room  was  furnished  as  an  office. 
There  were  a  table  and  a  chair  or  two,  and  in  a 
corner  an  American  roll-top  desk.  Beside  the 
desk  was  a  telephone  which,  from  its  glittering 
newness,  had  not  been  long  erected.  Attached 
to  the  receiver  in  the  place  of  the  usual  short 
flex  was  a  cord  at  least  eight  or  nine  feet  long. 
It  was  a  small  matter  in  itself,  but  it  did  not  escape 
Phillips'  keen  glance.  He  wondered  what  it  was  for. 


120  HARD  PRESSED 

It  was  certain  that  it  was  not  attached  to  the 
receiver  by  accident. 

In  one  part  of  the  room  an  old  woman  was 
kneeling  down  scrubbing  the  floorcloth. 

"  Is  Mr.  Jolly  here  ?  "  Phillips  asked. 

"  No,  sir,"  was  the  reply.  "  He  went  away  early. 
I  saw  the  key  of  the  office  hanging  up  soon  after 
half-past  three.'* 

Phillips  smiled.  He  was  beginning  to  understand 
now.  There  had  been  snowstorms  most  of  the  after- 
noon at  intervals,  and  this,  no  doubt,  had  interfered 
with  the  campaign  against  the  bookmakers. 

"  That  is  very  annoying,"  Phillips  said.  "  I 
particularly  want  to  see  Mr.  Jolly.  I  have  some 
very  important  business  with  him.  Can  you  tell  me 
where  he  lives  ?  " 

The  old  woman  shook  her  head  emphatically. 

"  No,  I  can't,  sir,"  she  said.  "  I  haven't  any  idea 
where  he  lives.  And,  besides,  he  is  mostly  a  stranger 
to  me." 

"  He  hasn't  been  here  long,  then  ?  " 

"  No,  sir.  He  came  last  autumn  and,  of  course, 
I  does  for  him  like  I  do  for  the  other  gentlemen. 
He  stayed  till  about  the  end  of  November,  then  he 
told  me  he  had  to  go  abroad  for  the  winter.  He  has 
only  been  back  about  a  week." 

Phillips  thought  his  time  was  not  being  wasted. 
Everything  appeared  to  be  going  his  way. 

"  I  am  very  sorry,"  he  said,  "  but,  really,  I  must 


JOLLY  &  CO.  121 

find  him.  It  is  most  awkward,  seeing  that  he  is 
a  stranger  to  me.  Would  you  mind  telling  me 
what  he  is  like  ?  If  you  can  give  me  a  description 
of  him  I  might  make  inquiries  in  the  neighbourhood. 
It  is  possible  he  may  be  in  one  of  the  hotels  close  by 
playing  billiards  or  something  of  that  sort." 

"  Well,  that's  possible,"  the  old  woman  said. 
"  I  know  Mr.  Jolly  is  fond  of  a  game  of  billiards, 
because  my  little  boy  has  had  to  fetch  him  once 
or  twice.  He  is  young  and  clean-shaven,  looks  like 
a  boy  almost  till  you  get  close  to  him,  and  then  you 
can  see  what  a  lot  of  wrinkles  he  has  round  his  eyes. 
He  might  easily  be  mistaken  for  an  actor.  Dresses 
very  well,  he  does,  except  he  wears  a  steel  watch- 
chain." 

Phillips  gave  the  old  woman  a  shilling  and  de- 
parted. He  had  found  out  all  he  was  likely  to  dis- 
cover. He  had  already  moved  towards  the  door 
when  a  sudden  thought  struck  him. 

"  Oh,  by  the  way,"  he  said,  "  I  wish  you  would 
let  me  have  the  number  of  your  telephone.  If  I 
can't  come  here  again  I  shall  telephone  Mr.  Jolly  in 
the  morning." 

The  old  woman  intimated  that  the  number  was 
on  the  top  of  the  telephone,  and  Phillips  made  a  note 
of  it.  Then  he  went  away,  on  the  whole  very  well 
satisfied  with  his  afternoon's  work.  He  had  yet, 
however,  to  verify  a  certain  suspicion,  and  this  he 
could  not  accomplish  till  late  in  the  evening.  It 


122  HARD   PRESSED 

eight  o'clock  or  more  before  he  turned  into  a  public 
telephone  call-office  and  rang  up  the  number  which 
he  had  copied  in  Jolly's  office.  He  was  not  sur- 
prised to  find  that  he  received  no  reply,  but  it  was 
not  a  reply  he  was  after.  What  he  really  wanted 
was  to  get  in  connexion  with  the  Exchange.  He 
managed  this  presently.  It  was  growing  late,  and 
there  was  no  great  pressure  upon  the  office. 

"  I  am  sorry  to  trouble  you,"  he  said,  "  but  I  can't 
get  anything  from  this  number.  Can  you  tell  me  if 
Mr.  Jolly  has  a  wire  between  the  office  and  his  house?  " 

The  assistant  amiably  replied  she  would  ascertain. 
In  a  few  moments  she  spoke  again. 

"  No  wonder  you  couldn't  get  a  reply,"  she  said. 
"  Jolly  &  Co.  are  not  connected  with  the  Exchange 
at  all.  We  switch  them  on  by  arrangement  for 
business  purposes,  but  their  wire  is  a  private  one. 
It  has  only  been  recently  erected." 

Phillips  drew  a  sharp  breath.  He  was  expecting 
sensational  developments,  but  this  information 
fairly  staggered  him. 

"  I  am  much  obliged  to  you,"  he  said.  "  But  I 
am  very  anxious  to  get  on  to  Mr.  Jolly.  You  say 
the  wire  is  a  private  one.  I  suppose  it  goes  from 
the  office  to  Mr.  Jolly's  own  house.  Where  is 
that  ?  " 

"  His  place  is  called  The  Nook,  Mirst  Park." 

Once  more  Phillips  was  taken  aback.  The  whole 
plot  was  opening  up  before  his  eyes.  Many  im- 


JOLLY  &  CO.  123 

portant  matters  remained  to  be  cleared  up,  but  he 
felt  he  was  getting  on  with  a  vengeance. 

"  I  didn't  know  where  he  lived,"  he  said,  "  but 
many  thanks  for  this  information  and  all  the  trouble 
you  have  taken.  Would  you  mind  putting  me  in 
connexion  with  the  Nook  ?  " 

The  assistant  was  still  obliging.  For  the  best 
part  of  five  minutes  Phillips  stood  there  with  the 
receiver  at  his  ear,  and  the  longer  he  had  to  wait 
the  more  satisfied  he  appeared  to  be.  Then,  pres- 
ently, the  thin  voice  at  the  other  end  of  the  wire 
began  to  speak  to  him  again. 

"  I  am  very  sorry,"  she  said.  "  But  I  have  rung 
half  a  dozen  times  and  can't  make  anybody  hear. 
Probably  they  have  left  the  receiver  off  the  instru- 
ment. I  can  try  again  presently." 

"  A  thousand  thanks,"  Phillips  said.  "  But  I 
won't  trouble  you.  I'll  call  round  at  the  office  in  the 
morning.  What  a  stroke  of  luck  !  Now  for  Mirst 
Park." 


CHAPTER    XVI 

THE   NOOK 

ON  second  thoughts,  Phillips  deemed  it  more 
prudent  to  remain  in  town  overnight.  There 
would  be  no  difficulty  in  reaching  Mirst  Park  to- 
morrow in  time  to  open  his  campaign.  Besides, 
when  he  came  to  think  it  over  there  were  a  good 
many  things  yet  to  be  done.  He  ate  his  modest 
dinner  in  his  modest  lodgings  and  then  sat  down 
over  a  cigarette  to  think  out  the  result  of  his  day's 
work.  The  more  he  cogitated  the  more  satisfied  he 
was  with  his  rate  of  progress. 

He  had  got  past  the  age  when  a  man  burns  for 
revenge  and  that  sort  of  thing.  He  infinitely  pre- 
ferred to  make  Copley  smart  and  put  money  in 
his  own  pocket  at  the  same  time.  As  for  his 
diamond-mining  adventure,  he  expected  to  hear 
no  more  of  that.  He  had  been  robbed  of  his  pre- 
cious plans  and  had  no  hopes  of  seeing  his  missing 
portmanteau  again,  but,  like  a  prudent  man,  he  was 
not  inclined  to  cry  over  spilt  milk. 

He  had  thought  it  all  out  before  morning,  and 
shortly  after  ten  o'clock  set  out  to  call  upon 


124 


THE   NOOK  125 

Major  Garden  again.  To  his  surprise  he  found 
that  the  Major  had  already  breakfasted  and 
was  making  preparations  for  going  out.  A  big 
fur  coat  was  carelessly  thrown  across  an  arm-chair, 
and  Phillips  smiled  when  he  saw  it.  Probably  the 
Major  had  struck  a  prosperous  line.  Possibly  some 
of  the  ten-pound  note  had  been  laid  out  at  an 
adjacent  pawnbroker's. 

"  I  didn't  expect  to  see  you  this  morning,"  the 
Major  said  genially.  "  Most  infernally  cold,  isn't 
it  ?  Looks  like  snow,  too.  Still,  one  must  take 
the  rough  with  the  smooth  when  one  goes  racing." 

"  So  you  are  going  racing  ?  " 

"  Well,  I  had  thought  of  it.  I  don't  often  get 
the  chance  of  treating  myself,  and  my  idea  was  to 
run  down  to  Mirst  Park  this  afternoon.  You're 
going,  aren't  you  ?  " 

"  Oh,  yes,  I  am  going  down  on  business.  But  I 
wanted  you  to  stay  in  town  and  do  a  little  com- 
mission for  me." 

The  Major's  florid  face  fell. 

"  That  is  very  awkward,"  he  muttered.  "  You 
see,  I  promised  to  take  my  daughter  with  me.  She 
is  fonder  of  that  kind  of  thing  than  I  am,  and 
the  poor  child  seldom  has  an  outing.  In  the  old 
days  of  my  prosperity  Alice  had  her  own  horse, 
and  deuced  good  across  country  she  was.  Can't 
you  manage  to  put  it  off  till  to-morrow,  Phillips  ? 
I  shall  be  greatly  obliged  if  you  can." 


126  HARD  PRESSED 

Phillips  reflected  for  a  moment. 

"  Very  well,"  he  said.  "  I  daresay  it  can  be 
managed.  I  will  see  you  on  the  course  this  after- 
noon and  let  you  know  what  my  address  is.  If  you 
are  discreet  and  cautious  over  this  little  matter 
there  is  a  fair  sum  of  money  in  it  for  you.  You  can 
drop  me  a  note  to-night,  because  there  is  no  pressing 
hurry,  and  you  can  get  the  information  this  evening 
or  early  to-morrow.  What  you  have  to  do  is  to  go 
round  to  the  Post  Club  and  find  out  all  the  heavy 
bets  which  were  made  there  with  Selwyn  in  con- 
nexion with  to-day's  racing  at  Mirst  Park.  You 
must  let  me  know  with  whom  the  bets  were  made 
and  who  made  them.  I  think  that  is  all.  But  I 
shall  see  you  on  the  course  later,  and  if  anything 
crops  up  in  the  meantime  I  shall  let  you  know." 

There  was  nothing  to  prevent  Phillips  from  mak- 
ing his  way  to  Mirst  Park.  Half  an  hour  later  he 
took  train  from  Waterloo  and,  arrived  at  his  destin- 
ation, proceeded  to  look  out  for  lodgings.  He 
had  his  own  reasons  for  preferring  rooms  to  an  hotel. 
He  needed  to  keep  himself  as  quiet  as  possible. 
This  matter  satisfactorily  settled,  he  turned  his 
steps  to  the  course,  which  was  as  yet  practically 
deserted.  There  was  little  to  indicate  that  a  race 
meeting  was  in  progress,  excepting  the  shows  and 
roundabouts  and  booths  outside  the  stands  and 
paddocks.  There  were  the  usual  loafers  pic- 
nicking on  the  grass,  the  usual  litter  of  torn  betting- 


THE  NOOK  127 

tickets  and  papers  scattered  far  and  wide.  Phillips 
passed  along,  looking  eagerly  about  him.  He 
wanted  somebody  who  could  give  him  certain 
information.  He  stood  on  the  centre  of  the  course, 
some  four  or  five  hundred  yards  from  the  ring.  He 
appeared  to  be  admiring  the  landscape,  which  was 
pleasant  enough  under  the  brilliant  sunshine, 
though  this  was  interspersed  now  and  then  by 
ominous-looking  clouds  which  seemed  to  threaten 
snow  later. 

As  most  people  know,  Mirst  Park  course  is  situ- 
ated in  a  kind  of  theatre,  with  rising  ground  behind 
the  stands,  so  that  it  is  possible  for  everybody  to 
obtain  a  perfect  view  of  a  race  from  start  to  finish. 
Peeping  out  of  the  trees  here  and  there  were  a  few 
good-class  houses,  one  of  which,  standing  higher 
than  the  rest,  towered  over  the  top  of  the  grand 
stand.  There  was  the  suggestion  of  a  smile  on 
Phillips'  face  as  he  adjusted  his  racing-glasses  and 
made  a  close  inspection  of  the  house  in  question. 
He  could  see  that  it  possessed  a  flat  roof  with  a 
parapet  around  it.  Phillips  was  still  intent  upon 
his  examination  when  a  policeman  with  a  fine  air 
of  detachment  strolled  by. 

"  The  best  natural  course  I  have  ever  seen," 
Phillips  said  with  enthusiasm.  "  Have  you  got 
many  like  this  in  these  parts,  officer  ?  " 

"  Not  that  I  know  of,"  the  policeman  said.  "  I 
suppose  you  have  never  been  here  before." 


iz8  HARD  PRESSED 

"  I  am  from  South  Africa,"  Phillips  said.  "  We've 
got  nothing  like  this  out  there.  I  should  like  to 
have  one  of  those  houses  yonder.  It  musl  be  nice 
to  sit  in  your  own  house  and  be  able  to  watch  all 
the  races,  especially  in  weather  like  this.  Now 
there's  that  place  at  the  back  of  the  stand.  I 
suppose  you  know  who  that  belongs  to.  Some 
man  with  money,  I  expect  ?  " 

"  I  can't  tell  you,  sir,"  the  policeman  replied. 
"  I've  lived  here  most  of  my  life,  but  that  house 
yonder  has  been  empty  for  a  long  time.  I  under- 
stood it  was  taken  by  some  Colonial  gentleman 
last  autumn,  but  I  don't  think  he  has  been  in  it 
yet.  Of  course,  I  don't  know  for  certain,  because 
my  beat  is  on  the  other  side  of  the  Common,  and  I 
am  only  on  duty  here  on  race  days." 

"  Just  so.    What  is  the  name  of  the  house  ?  " 

"  Let  me  see,"  the  policeman  said,  reflectively. 
"Oh,  I  know.  I  think  they  call  it  The  Nook." 

The  officer  passed  on,  and  Phillips  replaced  the 
racing-glasses  in  their  case.  Fortune  was  still  on 
his  side.  He  made  his  way  through  the  woods  up 
into  the  road  which  ran  in  front  of  the  houses,  and 
came  at  length  to  a  pair  of  iron  gates  with  the  name 
of  the  house,  The  Nook,  painted  on  them  in  gilt 
letters.  The  place  appeared  to  be  fairly  well  looked 
after.  The  paths  were  trim,  but,  so  far  as  Phillips 
could  see,  there  was  little  traffic  through  the  gates 
and  no  sign  whatever  of  wheels,  either  of  cabs  or 


THE  NOOK  129 

motors.  Peering  through  the  shrubs,  he  noticed 
that  the  windows  were  fitted  with  curtains  and 
blinds  as  if  the  house  were  inhabited.  There  was, 
perhaps,  some  risk  in  what  Phillips  was  about  to 
do,  but  he  was  prepared  to  take  the  consequences. 
He  walked  briskly  up  the  drive  until  he  came  in 
front  of  the  house.  Most  of  the  blinds  were  up. 
He  saw  evidences  of  refinement  and  luxury  in  the 
blinds  and  curtains,  though  it  struck  him  as 
rather  significant  that  the  gardens  had  not  had 
much  attention  bestowed  upon  them.  Phillips 
hesitated  before  ringing  the  bell.  It  was  an  old- 
fashioned  bell,  with  a  drop-handle,  and  he  could 
hear  it  clanging  through  the  house  with  a  hollow 
sound  which  suggested  emptiness.  As  he  expected, 
no  reply  came,  though  he  rang  two  or  three  times. 
It  was  impossible  for  any  one  to  see  into  the  living- 
rooms,  for  the  house  was  built  upon  a  slope  and 
the  front  door  was  approached  by  a  flight  of  steps. 
Just  as  Phillips  was  turning  away  a  man  emerged 
from  behind  a  belt  of  shrubs,  followed  by  a  truculent- 
looking  bull-terrier.  He  looked  like  a  gardener, 
though  there  was  in  his  appearance  that  faint, 
intangible  something  which  suggested  a  close  famili- 
arity with  the  turf.  He  eyed  Phillips  sourly  and 
suspiciously,  and  none  too  politely  requested  to 
know  his  business. 

"  Are  you  employed  here  ?  "  Phillips  asked. 
'  Yes,   I   am,"   the  man  growled.     "  I   am   the 

I 


130  HARD  PRESSED 

gardener.  And  there's  no  one  at  home,  if  you  want 
to  know." 

Phillips'  assumption  of  annoyance  was  artistic. 
He  turned  away  impatiently. 

"  Then  Mr.  Ronaldson  is  not  here  now  ?  "  he 
asked. 

"  Never  heard  the  name,"  the  gardener  responded. 

"  But  he  used  to  live  here.  I  knew  him  well  in 
South  Africa.  He  gave  me  his  address  two  years 
ago  and  asked  me  to  look  him  up  if  ever  I  came  to 
England.  I  suppose  he  has  gone  somewhere  else 
then.  Do  you  happen  to  know  the  name  ?  " 

"  No,  I  don't,"  the  gardener  said  sulkily.  "  We've 
only  been  here  a  few  months,  and  my  master  hasn't 
come  into  the  house  yet.  He's  a  stranger,  too. 
You  had  better  make  inquiries  in  the  village." 

Phillips  expressed  his  thanks.  He  had  found 
out  pretty  well  all  he  wanted  to  know,  and 
felt  that  if  this  repellent  person  had  entertained 
any  suspicions  they  were  lulled  to  sleep  by  this 
time.  He  stood  examining  the  repulsive-looking 
bull-terrier.  He  alluded  to  the  animal's  points 
approvingly.  He  spoke,  too,  as  a  man  who  knew 
what  he  was  talking  about.  One  or  two  remarks 
elicited  the  assent  of  the  gruff  gardener,  who  smiled 
slightly. 

"  Yes,  he's  a  good  dog,"  he  said.  "  And  capital 
in  the  house." 

"  Keeps  the  burglars  away,"  Phillips  laughed. 


THE  NOOK  131 

"  Oh,  I  daresay  he  would  if  I  left  him  here. 
But  I  don't  live  on  the  premises.  I  only  look  round 
to  see  that  things  are  all  right.  I  believe  the 
servants  are  coming  in  next  week." 

"  But  why  not  have  a  caretaker  ?  "  Phillips 
asked. 

"  Oh,  there's  no  occasion  for  that.  They're  more 
trouble  than  they're  worth." 

Phillips  nodded  and  walked  leisurely  away. 


CHAPTER    XVII 

A   FAIR    DAY'S   SPORT 

AT  Mirst  Park  there  was  not  very  much  for 
Fielden  to  do.  The  horses  he  had  brought 
with  him  were  a  moderate  lot,  and,  in  the  words  of 
the  stud-groom,  there  was  not  a  racer  amongst  them. 
With  his  intimate  knowledge  of  horse-flesh  Fielden 
wondered  why  Copley  kept  such  an  indifferent 
stable,  and  where  he  got  his  animals.  They  were 
even  worse  than  the  ordinary  run  of  equine  rubbish 
usually  foisted  on  the  millionaire  whose  ambi- 
tion it  is  to  figure  as  a  patron  of  the  turf.  Perhaps 
the  whole  thing  was  a  blind.  Perhaps  the  stud  at 
Seton  Manor  was  merely  intended  to  cover  Copley's 
rascality  in  another  direction.  At  any  rate,  Fielden 
watched  the  first  two  races  with  mingled  feelings 
of  contempt  and  amusement.  He  had  seen  his 
employer's  horses  figure  in  both  in  the  sorriest 
fashion,  and  till  the  four  o'clock  race  was  free  to 
do  as  he  pleased. 

It  was  strange  to  move  about   the  paddock,  by 
the    weighing-room    and    on    the    stand,    rubbing 

shoulders  with  a  score  of  men  whom  he  knew  well. 

w 


A  FAIR  DAY'S   SPORT  133 

The  course  was  familiar  to  him,  too.  Were  the 
past  two  years  but  a  dream,  and  had  he  never  left 
the  scene  of  his  former  recreations  ?  But  no  one 
recognized  him.  He  strolled  about  listening  to  the 
roar  of  the  betting-ring  and  the  cries  of  the  multi- 
tude, or  threaded  his  way  in  and  out  among  the 
horses.  He  even  spoke  to  one  or  two  jockeys  whom 
he  had  once  known,  but  none  seemed  to  identify 
him. 

Despite  the  crowd  and  the  horses,  the  ladies  on 
the  stand  and  the  members  in  the  enclosure,  how- 
ever, it  was  a  lonely  business,  and  his  face  lightened 
as  he  caught  sight  of  May  Haredale  seated  by  her- 
self on  one  of  the  stands.  He  made  his  way  eagerly 
to  her  side.  She  turned  and  smiled  upon  him. 
There  was  a  healthy  flush  on  her  face.  Her  eyes 
were  sparkling,  and  yet  there  was  a  suspicion  of 
anxiety  about  her  which  Fielden  had  noticed  more 
than  once  lately. 

"  Why  are  you  alone  ?  "  he   asked. 

"  Oh,  it  has  only  been  the  last  few  minutes," 
May  explained.  "  We  have  a  colt  running  in  this 
race,  and  my  father  has  gone  to  give  instructions 
to  his  jockey.  By  the  way,  how  badly  your  horses 
have  cut  up  to-day.  No,  I  am  not  particularly 
interested  in  this  race,  and  I  haven't  so  much  as 'a 
pair  of  gloves  on  it." 

"  Then  what  do  you  say  to  a  stroll  ?  "  Fielden 
suggested.  "  It  is  cold,  and  we  look  like  having 


134  HARD  PRESSED 

another  fall  of  snow.  I  couldn't  see  the  three' 
o'clock  race  for  the  snow.  Positively  I  hadn't  the 
faintest  notion  what  had  won  till  I  saw  the  numbers 
go  up.  Let  us  walk  across  the  course  to  the  starting- 
point  and  back.  We  shall  have  plenty  of  time." 

May  consented,  and  soon  they  were  beyond  tb^ 
enclosure  and  past  the  white  posts  and  rails 
towards  the  patch  of  gorse  across  the  Downs,  where 
the  starter  was  already  fidgeting  about  on  his  cob. 
Away  from  the  noise  and  excitement  of  the  ring 
the  flush  faded  from  May's  face,  and  her  eyes  seemed 
inexpressibly  sad. 

"  What's  the  matter  ?  "  Fielden  asked  anxiously. 
"  We  all  change  as  we  grow  older.  I  suppose  I  am 
different  from  what  I  used  to  be.  But  I  don't  like 
to  see  you  so  quiet.  It  is  so  foreign  to  your  nature, 
May.  There  was  a  time  when  you  were  all  laughter 
and  sunshine.  Oh,  dear,  what  a  fool  I  have  been, 
to  be  sure.  How  different  things  might  have  been 
if  I  had  only  had  a  little  common  sense.  You  don't 
know  how  I  blame  myself." 

"  Were  you  altogether  to  blame  ?  "  May  asked. 
"  I  don't  think  so.  You  had  no  one  to  look 
after  you  from  the  time  you  were  at  school  till 
you  came  into  your  property.  You  were  merely 
a  boy  then,  and  you  behaved  like  one." 

"Oh,  I  know,  I  know,"  Fielden  sighed.  "But 
that's  all  past  and  done  with.  But  don't  talk 
about  me.  I  am  far  more  interested  in  you.  I 


A  FAIR  DAY'S  SPORT  135 

hope  nothing  has  happened  to  increase  your  anxiety. 
You  know  what  I  mean." 

May  looked  irresolutely  at  her  companion. 

"  I  ought  not,  perhaps,  to  tell  you,"  she  said. 
"  I  ought  not  to  tell  anybody.  But,  then,  well, 
you  are  Harry  Fielden,  and  I  have  known  you  all 
my  life.  If  you  didn't  care  for  me  quite  as  much 
as  you  do,  if  I  had  not  cared  for  you — but,  there, 
we  need  not  go  into  that.  It  is  my  father  who  has 
worried  me.  It  is  extraordinary  what  a  change 
has  come  over  him  lately.  He  used  to  be  so  kind 
to  me,  to  let  me  do  as  I  liked,  and  even  when 
we  were  so  poor  that  we  didn't  know  where  to  turn 
for  money  he  was  always  happy  and  cheerful. 
Why,  a  few  months  ago  he  would  have  laughed  at 
the  idea  of  my  marrying  a  man  like  Mr.  Copley. 
Now  he  is  almost  eager  for  it." 

Fielden  made  no  reply  for  a  moment.  A  wave 
of  indignation  came  over  him.  He  caught  his  lip 
between  his  teeth  and  bit  it  fiercely.  A  year  or 
two  ago  he  would  have  smiled  at  the  suggestion  that 
Sir  George  would  sanction  a  match  between  his 
daughter  and  a  man  like  Copley.  But  during  the 
hard  and  bitter  months  of  his  wanderings  he  had 
learnt  some  amount  of  cynical  wisdom.  He  was 
no  longer  inclined,  as  he  had  been  in  the  old  days, 
to  take  every  man  at  his  face  valuation.  And, 
no  doubt,  when  the  pinch  came,  Sir  George  was  just 
like  the  rest.  He  would  speak  loudly  enough  of  his 


136  HARD  PRESSED 

willingness  to  give  up  the  old  house  and  live  in 
humble  lodgings  rather  than  have  any  slur  cast 
upon  his  honour.  But  it  would  be  different  when 
this  pretty  theory  came  to  be  put  to  the  test.  Fielden 
iorgot  all  about  the  racecourse.  He  heard  nothing 
of  the  shouting  crowd.  The  horses  streaming  to 
the  post  conveyed  nothing  to  his  eye. 

"  I  want  you  to  be  candid  with  me,"  he  said. 
"  Is  Sir  George  putting  pressure  upon  you  to  marry 
that  blackguard  ?  " 

There  was  something  so  vehement  in  Fielden's 
speech  that  May  looked  at  him  in  astonishment. 

"  Surely  you  are  going  too  far,"  she  said.  "  Mr. 
Copley  is  not  a  gentleman,  of  course " 

"  I  tell  you,  he  is  a  scoundrel,"  Fielden  inter- 
rupted. "  Believe  me,  May,  I  would  not  have 
spoken  unless  I  had  been  bound  to.  That  man  is 
not  fit  to  go  into  any  respectable  house.  I  cannot 
say  more  than  that  at  present,  because  the  secret 
is  not  altogether  mine.  But  this  much  I  tell  you : 
Had  there  been  no  such  person  as  Raymond  Copley 
I  should  be  a  rich  man  at  the  present  moment.  I 
know  that,  but  for  the  merest  accident,  there  would 
be  blood  on  that  man's  hands.  You  must  not  marry 
him,  May.  You  must  not  give  him  the  slightest 
encouragement.  When  I  think  of  your  associating 
with  that  rascal  my  blood  boils.  If  the  worst 
comes  to  the  worst,  I  must  tell  Sir  George  what  I 
know  myself.  It  is  with  the  greatest  reluctance  I 


A  FAIR  DAY'S  SPORT  137 

entered  Copley's  employment ;  indeed,  I  only  did 
so  because  there  are  certain  things  I  want  to  find 
out  and  this  seemed  to  provide  a  favourable  oppor- 
tunity. Otherwise,  I  would  rather  get  my  living 
by  selling  race-cards  and  sleep  under  a  furze  bush. 
But  do  you  mean  to  say  your  father  really  insists 
on  this  ?  " 

A  rush  of  tears  filled  May's  eyes. 

"  That  is  what  it  comes  to,"  she  rejoined.  "  It 
is  only  the  last  two  days  that  I  have  noticed  such 
a  change  in  my  father.  Harry,  do  you  think 
it  is  as  bad  as  he  says  it  is  ?  He  tells  me  that 
unless  I  consent  to  marry  Mr.  Copley  we  shall  be 
ruined  and  be  turned  out  of  the  house  without 
so  much  as  a  penny.  It  seems  incredible.  I  can't 
understand  a  man  with  an  atom  of  self-respect  who 
would  compel  a  girl  to  marry  him  against  her 
will.  It  isn't  as  if  I  were  rich,  or  intellectual,  or 
beautiful." 

Harry  thought  he  could  understand.  Indeed, 
any  man  could  understand  who  looked  down  into 
the  pretty,  pleading,  anxious  face  that  was  turned 
up  towards  Fielden. 

"  There  is  no  accounting  for  people  like  Copley," 
he  said.  "  He  is  the  kind  of  man  that  has  not  an 
atom  of  consideration  for  anybody  but  himself.  He 
has  no  heart  or  conscience,  and  the  more  unattain- 
able a  thing  is  the  more  he  longs  for  it.  He  cannot 
win  you;  therefore,  you  are  the  one  thing  in 


138  HARD   PRESSED 

the  world  that  he  passionately  desires.  God  help 
the  woman,  however  fascinating  and  beautiful, 
who  becomes  Copley's  wife  !  It  would  mean  years 
of  brutality  and  neglect  and  self-contempt.  You 
mustn't,  May.  I  understand  the  duty  you  owe 
to  your  father,  but  no  man  has  a  right  to  exact 
such  a  sacrifice  as  that.  Don't  you  think  I  had 
better  see  Sir  George  and  give  him  a  hint  of  the  sort 
of  man  Copley  is  ?  " 

May  shook  her  head  resolutely. 

"  I  am  afraid  that  would  do  more  harm  than 
good,"  she  said.  "  I  must  fight  my  battle  alone, 
Hairy,  and  if  you  interfered  my  father  might 
forbid  you  Haredale  Park.  He  has  already  hinted 
that,  if  you  had  not  come  home  again,  I  should 
have  been  willing  to  become  Mrs.  Raymond  Copley, 
and  if  I  were  not  allowed  to  see  you  I  don't  know 
what  I  should  do.  There  is  nobody  else  I  could 
confide  in.  But  I  will  let  you  know  how  things 
go  on.  We  had  better  go  back.  I  feel  better  for 
this  confession." 

But  it  seemed  a  hopeless  business,  and  Fielden's 
face  was  sad  and  gloomy  as  he  strode  alongside  May 
towards  the  stand. 

Ah  1  but  hope  was  not  dead  yet. 


CHAPTER   XVIII 

AN  EVENING  VISIT 

FOR  once  Sir  George  Haredale  did  not  seem  to 
be  in  the  least  pleased  to  see  Fielden.  He 
was  standing  on  the  lower  steps  of  the  stand  talking 
to  Major  Garden  with  the  air  of  one  who  is  convers- 
ing with  an  old  acquaintance.  By  Garden's  side 
was  his  daughter,  eager  and  interested,  following 
all  that  was  going  on  around  her  with  the  zest  and 
enjoyment  of  a  child. 

"  Oh,  here  you  are,"  Sir  George  said  fussily.  "  I 
was  beginning  to  wonder  what  had  become  of  you. 
Garden,  this  is  my  daughter.  Major  Garden  and  I 
were  at  Eton  together.  We  used  to  do  a  good  deal 
of  racing  before  you  were  born." 

The  Major  took  off  his  hat  with  a  flourish. 

"  Charmed  to  meet  the  daughter  of  my  old 
friend,"  he  said,  "  charmed.  Ah,  those  were  plea- 
sant days  when  one  had  youth  and  strength  and  a 
banking  account  which  appeared  to  be  inexhaustible. 
Now  I  deem  myself  fortunate  if  I  can  steal  a  day 
off  occasionally  to  get  down  to  a  suburban  race- 
course. Let  me  present  you  to  my  daughter.  My 
dear  Alice " 

1S9 


140  HARD  PRESSED 

"  But  I  know  her  already,"  May  Haredale  cried. 
"We  were  at  school  together.  I  had  no  idea  that 
my  father  and  yours  knew  one  another.  I  am  so 
pleased  to  see  you  again.  Father,  Alice  Garden  was 
my  greatest  friend  all  the  years  I  was  at  East- 
bourne. We  parted  promising  to  write  to  one 
another  regularly,  but  somehow  or  another  we 
have  never  corresponded.  But  now  that  I  have 
met  you  I  won't  lose  sight  of  you  any  more.  Major 
Garden,  you  really  must  let  Alice  come  and  stay 
at  Haredale  Park  with  me.  I  want  her  for  a  long 
visit." 

Garden  professed  himself  to  be  delighted,  and 
this  in  all  sincerity.  He  began  to  see  visions  of  a 
snug  and  comfortable  time,  away  from  dingy  lodg- 
ings and  vilely-cooked  food  to  which  he  had  never 
become  accustomed.  The  two  girls  paired  off, 
and  the  Major  strolled  towards  the  paddock 
gates,  for  he  had  noticed  Phillips  there,  evidently 
waiting  for  a  chance  to  speak  to  him. 

"  Got  any  instructions  ?  "  the  Major  asked. 
"  Nothing  fresh,"  Phillips  explained.  "  I  want 
you  to  do  exactly  as  I  asked  you,  and  if  you  can 
manage  it  this  evening,  after  you  get  back  to  town, 
so  much  the  better.  I  have  written  my  address  on 
the  back  of  this  card,  and  it  is  possible  I  may  be 
here  for  two  or  three  days  longer.  I  want  you  to 
find  out  what  wagering  there  was  to  big  money  with 
Selwyn  at  the  Post  Club  to-day,  and  wire  to  the 


AN   EVENING  VISIT  141 

address  on  this  card.  It  is  more  than  probable 
that,  before  the  week  is  out,  I  may  be  able  to  put  a 
good  thing  in  your  way.  I  suppose  I  can  come  round 
and  see  you  whenever  I  like." 

The  Major  thought  that  would  be  all  right.  It 
would  be  just  as  well,  perhaps,  to  get  his  daughter 
out  of  the  way.  With  diplomacy  he  might  contrive 
to  expedite  the  invitation  to  Haredale  Park,  so  that 
he  could  have  the  ground  clear  without  fear  of 
interruption.  He  returned  to  the  place  where  his 
daughter  was  waiting  for  him. 

At  a  sign  from  Phillips,  Fielden  came  forward. 

"  Well,"  he  asked,  "  how  are  you  getting  on  ?  " 

"  Splendidly,"  Phillips  replied.  "  I  have  been 
far  more  fortunate  than  I  anticipated.  We  will 
get  some  fun  out  of  Copley  and  Foster  yet.  From 
your  point  of  view  I  daresay  you  may  think  I  am 
wrong.  But  I  mean  to  make  money  out  of  this. 
I  will  expose  Copley  and  fill  my  purse  at  the  same 
time.  You  wonder  what  I  am  driving  at  ?  Can 
you  manage  to  stay  here  over  to-morrow  ?  " 

"  I  think  so,"  Fielden  said. 

''  That's  good.  In  that  case  we  can  push  our  investi- 
gations farther  and,  with  any  luck,  before  the  week 
is  out  we  shall  not  only  know  where  Copley  gets 
his  money,  but  how  he  makes  it.  Of  course,  we 
know  that  he  doesn't  even  begin  as  a  millionaire ; 
we  know  that  he  is  an  unscrupulous  adventurer. 
But  he  has  the  command  of  ready  money,  and  we 


142  HARD  PRESSED 

wish  to  know  how  he  makes  it.  As  a  matter  of  fact, 
I  know  that  already.  But  there  are  a  few  weak 
points  in  my  case,  and  we  can't  make  a  definite 
move  till  these  are  cleared  up.  Now  I  want  you  to 
have  dinner  with  me  in  my  lodgings.  I  told  my 
landlady  I  might  have  a  friend  staying  with  me,  and 
she  will  be  ready  to  put  a  bedroom  at  your  dis- 
posal." 

"  Why  this  mystery  ?  "  Fielden  asked. 

"  Oh,  it  is  no  mystery.  I  only  want  to  interest 
you.  After  dark  we  shall  indulge  in  a  little  quiet 
burglary,  that  is,  if  you  don't  object." 

"  It  is  not  an  alluring  prospect,"  Fielden  said. 

"Of  course  it  isn't,"  Phillips  agreed.  "But 
when  you  are  dealing  with  scoundrels  it  is  necessary 
to  use  their  own  weapons.  I  presume  you  are 
as  interested  as  I  am  in  the  exposure  of  Copley  and 
Foster  and  all  their  methods." 

"  Up  to  the  hilt,"  Fielden  said  between  his  teeth. 
"  Poor  as  I  am,  I  would  give  all  I  possess  to  bring 
that  about.  I  would  give  five  years  of  my  life  to 
manage  that  between  now  and  Derby  Day,  And  if 
necessary  I  can  find  some  money.  I  am  better  off 
than  I  expected,  but  I  intended  to  keep  the  money 
for  a  start  hi  lif e  later.  Still,  if  you  want  it  and  will 
promise  to  put  it  to  a  good  use,  I  will  give  you 
every  farthing  cheerfully.  You  have  only  to  say 
the  word." 

Phillips  chuckled. 


AN   EVENING  VISIT  143 

"  Oh,  there's  no  occasion  to  do  that,  sir,"  he  said. 
"  Keep  the  money  in  your  pocket.  I  shall  have 
enough  and  to  spare  before  long.  I  mean  to  drag 
Copley's  plunder  from  between  his  teeth.  I  will 
take  all  I  can  get  from  him,  and  when  the  time 
comes  we  shall  drop  a  hint  hi  the  proper  quarter,  and 
there  will  be  an  end  to  Raymond  Copley.  Within 
three  months  you  will  see  that  man  in  gaol.  You 
needn't  be  alarmed  for  Miss  Haredale.  She  is  as 
safe  from  that  man  as  if  she  were  the  daughter  of 
the  King.  I  had  better  be  going,  because  it  is  as 
well  that  we  should  not  be  seen  talking  together  for 
too  long.  I  have  scribbled  my  address  on  the  back 
of  this  card,  and  shall  expect  you  about  half-past 
seven." 

Fielden  asked  no  more  questions,  but  returned 
to  his  friends  with  a  vivid  sense  of  curiosity.  He 
listened  to  Major  Garden's  flamboyant  talk,  and 
as  he  bowed  to  Alice  Garden  could  not  help  thinking 
what  a  pretty  and  refined  girl  she  was.  He  made 
his  excuses  for  not  returning  to  Haredale,  and  was 
faintly  amused  to  see  how  relieved  Sir  George  ap- 
peared to  be. 

"  No,  I  can't  get  back  to-night,"  he  explained. 
"  I  have  several  things  to  do  here.  But  I  hope  to 
see  you  on  Sunday,  if  I  may  be  allowed  to  come 
over." 

"  Of  course,  you  may,"  May  smiled,  as  she  held 
out  her  hand.  "  Miss  Garden  is  coming  to  stay 


144  HARD  PRESSED 

with  me  to-morrow.  I  have  persuaded  her  to  come 
at  once.  I  am  ashamed  to  have  neglected  her  so 
long." 

Fielden  finished  his  business,  saw  the  stud- 
groom  and  the  horses  safely  on  the  rail,  and  then 
went  to  the  retired  part  of  the  village  where  Phillips' 
lodgings  were  situated.  It  was  little  more  than  a 
cottage,  but  the  place  was  neat  and  clean,  and  the 
cooking  left  nothing  to  be  desired. 

"  It  is  only  a  bit  of  fish  and  a  steak,"  Phillips 
said  cheerfully,  "  but  you  will  find  it  beautifully 
served,  and  as  to  the  wine,  well,  I  got  that  myself, 
and  I  know  it  is  everything  it  should  be.  Please  sit 
down  and  make  yourself  at  home.  We  can  discuss 
matters  over  our  cigars.  There's  nothing  like  racing 
to  give  you  an  appetite.  I  only  hope  it  won't  snow 
before  morning." 

"  I  hope  not,"  Fielden  said.  "  To  all  intents  and 
purposes  the  racing  was  spoilt  this  afternoon  by  the 
snow,  and  it  is  very  odd  that  no  one  saw  a  yard 
from  start  to  finish  of  the  three  o'clock  race.  It 
was  most  annoying." 

"  Was  it  ?  "  Phillips  asked.  "  Well,  I  confess  I 
didn't  find  it  so.  Yesterday  at  the  time  of  the  three 
o'clock  race  I  was  at  the  Post  Club,  and,  singular 
to  say,  we  had  the  same  blinding  snowstorm  in 
Covent  Garden.  Now  it  surprises  you,  but  from  your 
point  of  view  and  mine  that  snowstorm  was  the 
most  fortunate  thing  that  could  have  happened. 


AN   EVENING  VISIT  145 

When  I  sat  smoking  my  cigar  in  the  Post  Club  there 
came  to  me  the  inspiration  of  a  lifetime.  I  seemed 
to  see  in  a  flash  exactly  what  had  happened, 
and  soon  I  shall  know  to  a  dead  certainty.  You 
must  restrain  your  curiosity  for  a  little  longer.  You 
will  probably  know  all  about  it  before  you  go  to 
bed.  Try  one  of  these  cigars.  They  are  excel- 
lent." 

Fielden  had  hardly  got  his  cigar  aglow  before  the 
landlady  came  in  with  a  telegram,  which  Phillips 
opened  eagerly.  There  was  a  smile  of  triumph  on 
his  face  as  he  handed  it  to  Fielden. 

"  What  do  you  make  of  that  ?  "  he  asked. 

*'  I  can  make  nothing  of  it,"  Fielden  said.  "  It 
is  a  wire  to  the  effect  that  no  important  wager  was 
made  this  afternoon  on  the  three  o'clock  race  at 
the  Post  Club,  and  is  signed  Garden.  I  presume 
that  is  our  stout  friend  with  the  florid  face  and 
ingratiating  manner,  who  was  talking  to  you  this 
afternoon.  But  how  it  helps  us  I  haven't  the  ghost 
of  an  idea." 

Phillips  rose  and  threw  his  cigar  in  the  fire. 

**  Come,"  he  said.  "  It  is  time  to  start.  You 
haven't  much  longer  to  wait." 


CHAPTER   XIX 

THE  EMPTY   HOUSE 

'"T^HERE  was  just  enough  moonlight  for  Phillips' 
A  purpose,  but  not  enough  to  render  his  task 
dangerous.  Fielden  asked  no  questions,  partly 
because  he  deemed  it  would  be  useless,  and  partly 
because  he  did  not  wish  to  spoil  what  appeared  to 
have  in  it  the  making  of  a  dramatic  adventure. 
His  spirits  were  rising,  and  he  was  looking  forward 
keenly  to  something  in  the  way  of  enterprise.  He 
and  Phillips  had  been  in  more  than  one  tight  place 
together,  and  he  had  every  confidence  in  his 
companion. 

They  made  their  way  along  the  main  street  in 
silence,  and  came  presently  to  the  deserted  race- 
course. There  was  very  little  evidence  of  the  after- 
noon's sport,  nothing  but  a  few  partially  dismantled 
tents  and  booths,  and  the  extraordinary  remnants 
of  reeking  humanity  that  always  haunt  a  race 
meeting. 

They  went  across  the  heath,  and  by  and  by 
Phillips  pulled  up  in  front  of  the  avenue  to 
The  Nook. 

"  This  is  the  place,"  he  said  quietly. 

146 


THE  EMPTY   HOUSE  147 

"  Oh,  is  it  ?  "  Fielden  asked.  "  Perhaps  you 
had  better  tell  me  before  we  go  farther  who  lives 
here." 

"  That  is  precisely  what  we've  come  to  find  out," 
Phillips  said  coolly.  "  I've  got  a  pretty  shrewd 
notion,  but  that  isn't  good  enough  for  me.  I've 
told  you  that  there's  a  gang  of  clever  swindlers  in 
England  who  have  put  their  heads  together  to  rob 
the  betting  ring  of  an  enormous  sum  of  money. 
Operations  began  last  autumn,  but  the  flat-racing 
was  nearly  finished,  so  that  they  did  not  make  quite 
such  a  haul  as  they  had  anticipated.  Still,  they 
made  enough  to  keep  themselves  in  luxury  all  the 
winter  and  to  find  the  necessary  funds  for  carrying 
on  the  campaign  in  the  spring.  It  is  a  big  combine, 
and  unless  something  is  done  to  stop  it,  these  people 
will  make  colossal  fortunes.  Mind  you,  one  or  two  of 
the  large  bookmakers  have  a  suspicion,  but  up  to  now 
they  haven't  been  able  to  prove  anything.  Indeed, 
without  egotism,  I  may  say  they  would  be  powerless 
without  me.  I  got  some  vague  idea  of  the  scheme 
three  years  ago  from  a  man  who  is  now  dead.  Then 
when  racing  began  again  this  year  I  fancied  I  could 
see  a  trace  of  the  same  idea  in  this  business.  I  knew 
I  was  right  when  I  discovered  that  Copley  was 
operating  on  a  large  scale.  I  lunched  at  the  Post 
Club  with  a  member  who  gave  me  an  introduction 
to  Rickerby,  the  financial  a^ent.  You  remember 
him  ?  " 


148  HARD   PRESSED 

"  I  ought  to,"  Fielden  said  drily.  "  Goodness 
knows,  his  firm  had  enough  of  my  money.  But 
go  on." 

"  Well,  I  pumped  Rickerby.  I  don't  mind  telling 
you  that  I  went  to  the  Post  Club  on  purpose.  He 
has  been  pretty  hard  hit.  He  believes  he  has  been 
the  victim  of  a  swindle,  and  he  is  right,  though  it 
was  no  part  of  my  policy  at  the  time  to  tell  him  so. 
He  can't  very  well  refuse  to  take  big  bets,  even 
when  he  feels  there  is  something  underhand  going 
on.  Only  a  short  time  ago  he  was  hit  for  some 
thousands  of  pounds  by  one  of  the  gang,  and, 
moreover,  had  to  pay  the  money." 

"  This  sounds  very  interesting,"  Fielden  said,"  but 
what  has  it  to  do  with  our  present  adventure  ?  " 

"  Oh,  I  am  coming  to  that,"  Phillips  went  on 
quietly.  "  You  see,  these  bets  are  always  made 
in  the  same  way.  One  of  the  conspirators,  who  is 
actually  a  member  of  the  Post  Club,  strolls  into  the 
smoking-room  some  five  or  six  minutes  before — well, 
we'll  say  before  the  three  o'clock  race.  He  hangs 
about  till  the  horses  are  about  finishing  and  then, 
in  the  most  casual  way  in  the  world,  makes  a  bet. 
Now,  mind  you,  this  bet  is  booked  before  the  race  is 
finished,  as  a  careful  comparison  of  the  time  shows. 
Yet  the  horse  has  won,  and  the  man  in  the 
smoking-room  of  the  Post  Club  knows  it  before  the 
judge  has  given  his  decision." 

"  Impossible,"  Fielden  exclaimed. 


THE  EMPTY   HOUSE  149 

"  I  know  it  seems  impossible,  and  twenty  years 
ago  you  would  have  said  the  telephone  was  impos- 
sible, and  people  would  have  scouted  the  idea  of 
wireless  telegraphy.  But  they  both  came,  like  the 
phonograph  and  other  wonders." 

"  Oh,  that's  all  very  well,"  Fielden  smiled.  "  But 
you  are  not  going  to  ask  me  to  believe  that  this  thing 
is  done  by  thought-reading  or  anything  of  that  sort  ? 
You  won't  tell  me  that  this  famous  member  of  the 
Post  Club  is  a  clairvoyant  who  sees  the  race  finished 
while  it  is  being  run  ?  Because,  if  that  were  the 
case,  the  favoured  person  would  have  no  need  of  a 
syndicate  to  help  him  ;  he  would  do  it  all  by  himself." 

"  I  am  not  suggesting  anything  of  the  kind," 
Phillips  said.  "  There's  nothing  occult  about  the 
business.  The  thing  is  capable  of  explanation,  and 
I  am  in  a  position  to  give  it,  except  for  the  finishing 
touches,  which  make  this  dodge  almost  a  work  of 
genius.  I  know  who  is  at  the  bottom  of  it,  I 
know  who  is  working  it,  and  I  know  how  the  inform- 
ation is  conveyed  to  within  a  few  feet  of  the  tape 
machines  in  the  Post  Club.  But  how  that  informa- 
tion is  filtered  to  the  man  inside  is  the  thing  that 
beats  me  at  present.  But  so  much  I  have  found 
out.  In  the  very  next  office  to  the  smoking- 
room  of  the  Post  Club  is  a  firm  who  call  themselves 
Jolly  &  Co.  Now  Jolly  &  Co.  only  took  their  office 
last  September  or  October.  There  is  not  the 
slightest  sign  of  any  business  being  done  there, 


150  HARD   PRESSED 

because  I  have  been  in  the  office  myself.  Taken  in 
conjunction  with  what  I  have  told  you,  it  must 
strike  you  as  an  odd  thing  that  this  mysterious 
Jolly  &  Co.  shut  up  the  office  and  went  abroad  last 
year  after  the  flat-racing  was  over.  Probable  Jolly 
&  Co.  went  off  to  make  a  bit  in  the  Riviera, 
or  Egypt,  or  some  other  fashionable  resort  where 
fools  and  money  congregate.  It  is  an  odd  thing 
that  during  the  January  meeting  at  Mirst  Park 
Jolly  &  Co.  should  turn  up  again  and  resume  opera- 
tions in  Covent  Garden.  Now  I  called  to  see  Mr. 
Jolly.  He  had  left  his  office,  but  I  guessed  that 
before  I  called,  or  I  shouldn't  have  ventured.  The 
first  thing  I  saw  was  a  telephone  with  an  unusually 
long  flex  to  it.  I  don't  quite  understand  why  this 
flex  is  so  long,  but  I  can  make  a  shrewd  guess.  It 
cost  me  an  hour  or  two  and  plenty  of  hard  thinking 
to  get  farther  in  my  investigations,  but  I  found 
late  in  the  evening  that  Jolly  &  Co.'s  telephone  was 
a  private  wire  leading  from  Covent  Garden  to  his 
residence  at  Mirst  Park.  Now  do  you  begin  to 
understand  ?  " 

Fielden  shook  his  head. 

"  It  begins  to  smell  suspicious,"  he  said.  "  I  am 
bound  to  confess  it  looks  very  like  a  deep-laid 
conspiracy.  But  I  must  confess  myself  too  dense 
to  follow  it." 

"  Oh,  it  requires  explanation.  But  luck  favoured 
me  in  my  investigations,  and  I  managed  to  pick  up 


THE  EMPTY  HOUSE  151 

a  good  many  unlocked  for  clues.  Still,  the  fact 
remains  that  from  this  house  here  to  an  office  next 
door  to  the  Post  Club  there  is  a  private  telephone. 
Now  a  child  would  admit  that  no  one  would  have 
a  private  telephone  from  here  to  an  office  in  London, 
at  a  cost  of  something  like  a  hundred  and  fifty  pounds 
a  year,  merely  for  the  sake  of  sending  domestic 
messages.  I  came  here  to  have  a  good  look  at  The 
Nook,  as  this  house  is  called,  and  I  found,  not 
altogether  unexpectedly,  that  nobody  was  living 
here.  I  was  told  by  a  gardener  that  the  tenant  had 
not  yet  taken  possession,  though  it  has  been  fur- 
nished for  some  time.  I  had  rung  the  bell  a  few 
times,  and  when  the  man  came  professed  I  had  called 
to  see  some  one  who  used  to  live  here.  Considering 
that  it  is  supposed  to  be  a  fully-furnished  house, 
that  bell  made  a  great  deal  of  noise.  I  am  ready 
to  bet  that  the  house  is  practically  empty.  At 
any  rate,  I  have  come  here  to  find  out  for  myself, 
and  as  I  believe  there  is  nobody  on  the  premises  our 
task  ought  not  to  be  difficult." 

"  I  don't  like  it,"  Fielden  said.  "  It  smells  very 
much  like  burglary,  and  if  we  were  discovered  we 
should  find  some  difficulty  in  giving  an  explanation 
which  would  satisfy  the  police.  Isn't  there  any 
other  way  ?  " 

Phillips  waved  the  suggestion  aside  impatiently. 

"  You  can  go  back  if  you  like,  sir,"  he  said.  "  As 
for  me,  I  will  see  this  thing  through.  We  might 


152  HARD   PRESSED 

never  have  such  an  opportunity  again.  And,  be- 
sides, I  want  to  have  a  look  at  that  telephone.  I 
think  we  shall  find  something  that  will  open  our  eyes. 
I  am  not  in  a  position  actually  to  prove  it,  but  I  am 
convinced  that  Jolly  &  Co.  will  be  found  to  be  part 
and  parcel  of  Copley  and  Foster.  Now  you  under- 
stand why  I  am  so  anxious  to  enter  the  house. 
Still,  if  you  prefer  to  remain  outside  and  leave  the 
matter  to  me " 

"  Oh,  no,"  Fielden  said  hastily.  "  Having  come 
so  far  I  won't  turn  back.  I  am  taking  it  that  you 
are  correct  in  thinking  the  house  is  empty." 

"  Of  course  it  is,  there  is  no  question  about  that. 
The  gardener  told  me  so,  and  I  see  no  reason 
to  doubt  his  statement.  I  wouldn't  miss  this 
chance  for  anything.  Even  if  I  get  nothing  out  of 
it,  I  should  like  to  know  how  this  swindle  is  being 
worked.  But  come  along,  we  are  wasting  time. 
There  is  enough  moonlight  to  help  us  without  using 
lights,  which  is  so  far  fortunate.  It  may  be  a 
little  awkward  for  you,  connected  as  you  are  with 
Copley,  but  it  is  all  in  the  game." 

"  Lead  on,"  Fielden  said  curtly. 

They  turned  into  the  avenue  and  came  presently 
to  the  front  of  the  house.  Somebody  had  evidently 
been  in  since  Phillips'  visit,  for  all  the  blinds  had 
been  pulled  down.  Then  they  walked  cautiously 
round,  looking  for  a  weak  spot  where  they  could 
effect  an  entrance. 


CHAPTER   XX 

INSIDE 

THE  adventurers  managed  to  squeeze  through 
a  scullery  window,  the  latch  of  which  had  not 
been  secured,  and  a  moment  later  were  in  the  house. 
As  Phillips  had  surmised,  the  place  was  empty. 
There  were,  however,  cooking  utensils  in  the  kitchen, 
a  quantity  of  plates  and  dishes  and  glass,  with  two 
baskets  containing  a  small  supply  of  cutlery  and 
silver.  Floorcloth  had  been  laid  down  on  the 
kitchen  floor  and  a  carpet  in  the  hall,  and  there  were 
carpets  on  the  stairs,  but  three  of  the  four  living- 
rooms  on  the  ground  floor  were  empty.  But  the 
fourth  room  was  comfortably  furnished.  A  fire  was 
still  burning  in  the  grate,  and  on  the  tiled  hearth 
Phillips  detected  the  ends  of  two  or  three  cigarettes. 
There  was  a  faint  aroma  of  tobacco  on  the  air,  not 
the  sort  of  tobacco  likely  to  be  consumed  by  a 
caretaker. 

"  It  is  just  as  I  told  you,"  Phillips  chuckled.  "  I 
felt  sure  we  should  find  the  house  empty." 

"  Yet  you  are  not  altogether  right,"  Fielden 
replied.  "  Somebody  has  been  here  recently,  and 

in 


154  HARD   PRESSED 

somebody  who  knows  how  to  appreciate  a  good 
cigarette.  Besides,  look  at  that  fire.  I  don't  like 
it,  Phillips,  and  wish  we  were  well  out  of  it.  We 
don't  happen  to  be  in  South  Africa  now." 

"Oh,  that's  all  right,"  Phillips  said  cheerfully. 
"  No  doubt  the  fire  was  lighted  this  morning  by  the 
gardener,  and  no  doubt  also  one  of  the  conspirators 
has  been  here.  In  fact,  I  should  have  been  disap- 
pointed if  I  hadn't  found  traces  of  him.  It  isn't 
necessary  for  our  friends  to  come  often,  but  they 
couldn't  very  well  work  their  scheme  unless  they 
were  on  the  spot  when  racing  is  taking  place  at  Mirst 
Park.  I  wonder  what  our  friend  thought  of  the 
snowstorm  about  three  o'clock.  I  guess  that  must 
have  upset  his  calculations  a  bit.  Now  look  at 
this." 

Phillips  bent  down  to  the  fireplace  and  lifted  one 
of  the  cigarette  ends,  which  he  handed  to  Fielden. 

"  Do  you  know  anybody  who  smokes  these  ?  " 
he  asked. 

"  I  think  so,"  Fielden  said  after  close  inspection. 
"  They  are  particularly  expensive  cigarettes,  and 
can't  be  had  unless  specially  ordered.  The  only 
man  I  know  who  smokes  them  is  Raymond  Copley." 

"  Precisely.  And  you  may  bet  your  boots  this 
is  one  of  his.  At  any  rate,  it  is  a  curious  coincidence, 
and  tends  to  confirm  what  I  have  already  told  you. 
I  should  be  greatly  surprised  if  Copley  were  not  here 
this  afternoon.  Now  let  us  get  a  bit  farther. 


INSIDE  155 

There  is  nothing  to  detain  us  after  we  have 
examined  the  telephone.  I  am  afraid  we  shall  have 
to  use  a  match,  but,  then,  we  are  bound  to  take 
certain  risks." 

By  the  aid  of  a  box  of  vestas  the  telephone  instru- 
ment was  found  in  the  hall.  It  presented  no  special 
features.  It  appeared  to  be  the  kind  of  hanging 
instrument  to  be  seen  in  hundreds  of  offices  and 
private  houses. 

"  Nothing  remarkable  about  that,"  Fielden  said. 

For  the  moment  Phillips  made  no  reply.  He 
fetched  a  chair  from  the  kitchen  and  mounted  it. 
After  the  expenditure  of  two  or  three  matches,  the 
ends  of  which  he  was  careful  to  deposit  in  his  pocket, 
he  broke  into  a  smile. 

"  Ah,  I  expected  something  like  this,"  he  said. 
"  There  is  an  extension  to  this  instrument.  If  you 
look  in  the  angle  of  the  wall  you  will  see  that  it 
goes  up  to  the  ceiling.  To  tell  you  the  truth, 
I  am  glad  to  find  this,  because  it  bears  out  what 
strikes  me  as  a  very  plausible  theory.  I  was  rather 
disappointed  to  find  the  telephone  here  at  all.  But 
now  I  can  understand  why  it  was  placed  in  this 
particular  spot.  We  have  a  cunning  lot  to  deal 
with,  and  it  was  to  be  expected  they  would  not  do 
things  like  other  people.  Let  us  go  upstairs  and 
see  how  far  this  extension  goes.  To  the  roof,  unless 
I  am  mistaken." 

The   exploration   proved   troublesome,   but   the 


156  HARD  PRESSED 

extension  was  traced  to  the  second  floor  and  thence 
along  the  ceiling,  where  it  finally  disappeared  through 
a  skylight  which  gave  on  to  the  roof.  An  iron  ladder 
was  attached  to  the  skylight,  and  Phillips  pointed 
out  to  his  companion  that  the  ladder  appeared  to 
have  been  regularly  used.  The  iron  rungs  were 
worn  bright,  the  sides  were  clean  and  shiny. 

"  Come  along,"  Phillips  whispered.  "  We  must 
get  out  on  the  top.  But  be  cautious  and  display  as 
little  light  as  possible.  I  daresay  we  can  manage 
with  a  solitary  match." 

They  found  themselves  on  the  roof  presently. 
By  feeling  about  they  could  trace  the  flex  of  the 
extension  to  a  square  wooden  box  screwed  down 
to  the  leads.  The  box  did  not  appear  to  be  locked, 
and  it  was  easy  for  Phillips  to  fumble  about  inside 
it  until  he  drew  out  a  cylinder  of  gutta  percha  with 
something  glittering  at  either  end. 

"  Stoop  down  and  light  a  match,"  he  whispered, 
"  and  hide  the  flame  under  your  coat.  Now,  then, 
bend  down  here.  That's  right." 

The  match  burst  into  flame  under  cover  of 
Fielden's  coat.  The  feeble  light  displayed  another 
telephone  receiver  attached  to  the  end  of  a  some- 
what long  flex. 

"  You  can  blow  out  the  match,"  Phillips  went  on, 
"  and  don't  forget  to  put  the  end  in  your  pocket. 
It  is  just  as  well  to  be  careful  when  dealing  with 
such  a  gang.  Perhaps  you  begin  to  understand  ? 


INSIDE  157 

You  don't  know,  I  expect,  that  this  roof  commands 
the  whole  racecourse,  and  enables  one  to  see  every- 
thing from  start  to  finish.  Now  a  man  could  sit 
down  here  on  this  box  and  watch  the  race  with  the 
telephone  receiver  to  his  mouth.  If  he  were  a  really 
good  judge  of  racing — I  mean,  if  he  were  any  good 
as  a  judge  of  a  finish — he  would  be  able  to  spot  the 
winner  in  nine  cases  out  of  ten  fifty  lengths  from 
home,  and  therefore,  if  there  was  some  one  at  the 
other  end  in  the  office  of  Jolly  &  Co.,  the  result 
of  a  particular  race  would  be  known  in  London 
before  the  horse  was  past  the  post.  Do  you 
follow  ?  " 

"  Yes,  that's  all  very  well,"  Fielden  objected, 
"  but  that  does  not  account  for  the  fact  that " 

"  That  the  information  is  conveyed  in  the  smok- 
ing room  of  the  Post  Club.  Of  course  it  doesn't. 
That,  I  confess,  is  where  I  am  beaten  for  the  present. 
I  am  certain  that  a  second  later  the  confederate 
in  the  Post  Club  knows  what  has  happened.  Don't 
ask  me  to  tell  you  how  the  final  touches  are  put  on, 
because  I  don't  know.  But,  knowing  as  much  as  I 
do,  we  shall  soon  find  out,  and  I  think  you  will 
admit  that  we  haven't  wasted  our  evening.  You 
understand  now  why  either  Copley  or  a  confeder- 
ate was  here  this  afternoon.  The  man,  whoever 
he  was,  came  with  the  intention  of  sending  the  result 
of  the  three  o'clock  race  to  Covent  Garden.  Why 
the  three  o'clock  race  is  always  picked  out  for  this 


158  HARD  PRESSED 

swindle  we  don't  know,  but  that  will  be  made  plain 
sooner  or  later.  They  didn't  make  anything  yester- 
day or  to-day,  because  on  both  occasions  the  race 
was  run  in  a  snowstorm.  It  was  the  snowstorm  that 
first  put  the  idea  into  my  head  ;  in  fact,  it  was  the 
snowstorm  that  led  me  here  at  all.  And  now,  let 
us  go  back  to  my  lodgings  and  discuss  the  matter 
over  a  cigar." 

The  telephone  receiver  was  replaced  in  its  box, 
the  lid  shut  down,  and  the  investigators  began  their 
descent  to  the  lower  rooms.  They  had  not  forgotten 
to  be  cautious  and  walked  as  quietly  and  carefully 
as  if  the  house  were  occupied,  which  was,  perhaps, 
as  well,  for  as  they  reached  the  first-floor  landing 
there  came  the  scratch  of  a  match  downstairs.  It 
was  only  a  slight  noise,  but  in  the  empty  house  it 
boomed  loudly  in  the  ears  of  the  explorers.  The 
match  had  been  struck  to  light  the  gas,  for  a  moment 
later  the  hall  blazed  up  brightly,  and  Fielden  and 
his  companion,  looking  over  the  banisters,  saw  two 
men  in  the  hall. 

"  Have  you  made  up  a  fire  in  the  dining-room  ?  " 
one  of  them  asked.  "  You  haven't  ?  Well,  do  so 
at  once.  I  am  half  frozen.  It's  precious  poor  fun 
motoring  from  London  on  a  night  like  this.  Did 
you  bring  in  the  hamper  ?  " 

Phillips  started  at  the  sound  of  the  voice. 

"  This  is  awkward,"  he  whispered.  "  I  wish  to 
goodness  we  had  gone  five  minutes  sooner.  It 


INSIDE  159 

will  be  worse  for  you  than  for  me  if  we  are  found 
out.  Did  you  recognize  that  voice  ?  " 

".Copley,"  Fielden  muttered.  "  I'd  give  something 
to  be  out  of  this.  The  other  man  is  Foster,  of 
course.  I  wonder  what  ill  luck  brings  these  fellows 
here  to-night.  Still,  as  all  these  rooms  are  empty 
they  are  not  likely  to  come  upstairs.  But  they 
mean  to  stay,  or  Copley  would  not  have  been  so 
fastidious  about  the  fire." 

"  They  are  going  to  make  a  night  of  it,"  Phillips 
replied.  "  Judging  from  that  remark  about  the 
hamper,  they  have  brought  supper  with  them, 
expecting  somebody  else,  very  likely.  Well,  there 
is  nothing  for  it  but  to  wait.  If  we  could  only  put 
out  the  gas  in  the  hall  we  might  have  a  chance.  We 
can  slip  down  while  they  are  at  supper  and  leave  by 
the  way  we  came.  We  must  have  that  gas  out." 

"  They  would  only  light  it  again." 

"  Not  if  I  plug  the  burner.  I'll  go  and  look  for 
a  piece  of  wood.  It  is  likely  the  carpenters  have 
left  some  behind  :  they  generally  do.  If  I  can  find 
a  piece  about  four  feet  long,  the  trick  will  be  done." 


CHAPTER  XXI 

THE  EAVESDROPPERS 

TO  Fielden,  waiting,  it  seemed  that  Phillips  was  a 
long  time  away.  While  he  stood  looking  over 
the  banisters  he  learned  that  the  fire  had  been  made 
up  downstairs.  With  grim  amusement  he  watched 
Foster  open  the  hamper  and  take  from  it  certain 
delicacies  which  formed  the  foundation  of  what 
promised  to  be  an  exceedingly  good  supper.  There 
were  sundry  bottles,  too,  with  gold  foil  about  the 
necks,  and  when  the  hamper  had  been  emptied 
Foster  repaired  to  the  kitchen  and  presently  re- 
appeared with  a  tray  laden  with  plates  and  dishes, 
the  requisite  number  of  glasses  and  knives  and 
forks,  and  a  tablecloth.  Judging  from  the  smell, 
Copley  was  smoking  in  the  dining-room  whilst  his 
accomplice  was  preparing  the  supper.  Matters  had 
progressed  thus  far  when  Phillips  stole  gently  back, 
carrying  a  long  very  thin  slip  of  wood  from  a 
broken  board,  the  end  of  which  he  had  whittled  to 
a  fine  point. 

"  I've  found  it,"  he  said.     "  If  I  lean  over  the 
banisters  I  can  jam  the  point  of  this  stick  into  the 

1M 


THE  EAVESDROPPERS  161 

eye  of  the  burner,  and  put  out  the  gas.  They  won't 
be  able  to  light  it  again  for  a  while.  Is  it  safe  ?  " 

The  sudden  pop  of  a  cork  was  heard. 

"  Sounds  like  it,"  Fielden  whispered.  "  I  think 
Foster  carried  in  everything  and  they  are  at  supper. 
Now  is  your  time." 

Phillips  leant  over  the  banisters,  and  at  the  second 
attempt  thrust  the  sharpened  end  of  the  long  strip 
of  wood  into  the  eye  of  the  burner.  There  was  a 
feeble  flicker  or  two,  and  then  the  whole  place  was 
wrapped  in  darkness.  He  was  only  just  in  time, 
for  almost  on  the  same  instant  Foster  came  out  of 
the  dining-room.  They  heard  him  muttering  that 
the  gas  had  gone  wrong,  and  watched  him,  faintly 
outlined  by  a  match,  strive  in  vain  to  light  the  gas 
once  more.  After  the  third  attempt  he  abandoned 
the  effort  with  an  oath  and  went  back  to  the  dining- 
room.  Straining  their  ears,  the  two  men  on  the 
landing  could  hear  Copley's  reply. 

"  Choked  up  with  dust,  I  suppose.  But  never 
mind  so  long  as  we  are  all  right.  Sit  down  and  eat. 
I  daresay  those  other  fellows  will  be  some  time  yet." 

Phillips  whispered  in  his  companion's  ear. 

"  I  think  we  shall  be  safe.  What  do  you  say  to 
creep  away  now  we  have  the  opportunity  ?  Or 
would  it  be  worth  while  to  stay  outside  the  dining- 
room  and  listen  to  what  they're  talking  about  ? 
It  is  pitch  dark,  and  we  can  slope  at  any  moment." 

Fielden  was  feeling  reckless.     It  did  not  matter 

L 


162  HARD  PRESSED 

what  happened.  Without  further  ado  they  tip- 
toed into  the  hall  where,  by  the  aid  of  the  intense 
stillness  and  a  door  ajar,  they  commanded  all  that 
was  going  on.  Copley  sat  at  one  end  of  the  table, 
facing  Foster  at  the  other.  For  some  time  the  two 
men  ate  steadily  with  an  appetite  sharpened  by 
their  drive  through  the  cold  air.  When  the  meal 
was  finished  Copley  pushed  his  chair  aside  and  strode 
over  to  the  fireplace.  Would  Foster  remove  the 
supper  things  ?  He  had  begun  to  gather  the  plates 
and  dishes  together  when  Copley  stopped  him. 

''  Oh,  never  mind  the  things,"  he  said  impatiently. 
"  Let  the  man  remove  them  in  the  morning.  He 
can  finish  up  what  is  left.  We  have  more  important 
matters  to  attend  to.  Take  a  cigar  and  sit  down  by 
the  fire.  What  is  the  next  move  ?  " 

"  We  have  had  cruel  bad  luck,"  Foster  replied. 
"  Who  would  have  expected  to  have  two  race-days 
ruined  by  snowstorms  ?  A  prophet  could  not  have 
foreseen  anything  like  this.  I  reckon  we  have 
lost  twenty  thousand  pounds  the  last  two  days." 

"  It's  a  bad  start,"  Copley  answered.  "  We  didn't 
have  the  luck,  and  we  haven't  made  the  money. 
I  was  on  the  roof  yesterday  and  to-day,  and  I 
declare  to  you  I  couldn't  see  a  single  incident  in  the 
race.  I've  never  seen  two  such  blinding  snow 
showers.  It  was  simply  maddening  to  stand  there 
and  feel  a  fortune  slipping  through  your  fingers, 
all  on  account  of  the  snow.  And  that's  not  the 


THE  EAVESDROPPERS  163 

worst,  Foster.  It  will  be  another  month  before 
there  will  be  two  days'  racing  at  Mirst  Park,  and  we 
can't  count  upon  a  single  penny  till  then.  I  tell 
you  frankly  I  don't  know  where  to  turn  for  ready 
cash.  It's  all  very  fine  to  have  tradesmen  breaking 
their  necks  to  get  my  custom,  but  that  doesn't  fill 
my  purse  with  the  needful.  It's  very  odd  that  a 
man  in  my  position  can  procure  almost  any  article 
of  value  he  pleases,  but  when  it  comes  to  raising 
a  bit  of  cash  everybody's  suspicions  are  aroused 
at  once." 

"  Well,  philosophy  won't  help  us,"  Foster  said. 
"  We  must  annex  some  ready  money  to  carry  us 
over  the  next  month,  at  any  rate.  The  same  ill 
luck  can't  happen  at  the  next  meeting.  Such  a 
coincidence  couldn't  happen  twice.  Don't  for- 
get that  if  we  can  manage  to  hang  on  for  four 
weeks  we  shall  make  enough  to  carry  us  on  to  the 
Derby,  and  after  the  big  race  is  run  we  shall 
be  in  clover.  If  you  work  your  cards  properly  the 
Blenheim  colt  is  bound  to  lose,  and  with  this  know- 
ledge we  can  lay  against  the  horse  as  long  as  any- 
body is  fool  enough  to  take  our  bets." 

"  I  haven't  forgotten  that,"  Copley  said.  "  Of 
course,  I  haven't  spoken  to  Sir  George  about  it 
yet,  but  I  have  asked  him  to  dine  with  me  on  Sunday 
evening  at  Seton  Manor,  and  I  shall  put  on  the  screw 
then.  He'll  kick  at  first.  He'U  talk  about  the 
blood  of  his  ancestors  and  the  honour  of  his  race 


164  HARD   PRESSED 

and  all  that  kind  of  rot,  but  he  is  bound  to  give  in. 
If  I  asked  him  to-night  he  would  say  he  would  rather 
leave  Haredale  Park  and  beg  his  bread  before  he 
would  do  anything  to  be  ashamed  of.  We  have 
both  heard  people  talk  like  that  before  now,  but 
when  it  comes  to  the  point  Sir  George  will  sing 
another  tune.  They  all  do." 

"  Provided  the  lady  does  not  change  her  mind," 
Foster  said  with  a  grin,  which  caused  Fielden,  listen- 
ing at  the  door,  to  clench  his  fists.  "  You  mustn't 
1(>se  sight  of  that  fact,  Copley.  Miss  Haredale 
dislikes  and  despises  you.  But  though  she  vows 
that  nothing  in  the  world  will  induce  her  to  marry 
you,  circumstances  alter  cases,  and  when  she  knows 
she  is  no  longer  mistress  of  Haredale  Park,  it  is 
possible  her  frowns  may  turn  into  smiles." 

Copley  laughed  unpleasantly. 

"  I  haven't  lost  sight  of  these  things,"  he  said. 
"  Miss  Haredale  has  the  bad  taste  to  dislike  me 
exceedingly.  I  would  give  anything  if  I  could 
induce  her  to  change  her  mind.  I  believe  I  might 
even  grow  honest  and  lead  a  respectable  life.  Still, 
that  would  be  beastly  monotonous.  Your  plan  is 
the  best.  I  had  better  accept  my  dismissal  and 
leave  Miss  Haredale  to  go  her  own  way.  Then  I 
can  put  the  screw  on  Sir  George  and  compel  him 
to  find  some  excuse  for  scratching  his  colt. 
When  he  sees  that  I  mean  to  have  my  money  and 
discovers  the  sheriff  in  possession,  he  will  not  be 


THE  EAVESDROPPERS  165 

long  in  inventing  a  reason  why  the  Blenheim  colt 
should  not  run  that  shall  be  consistent  with  his 
confounded  dignity.  You  can  leave  that  safely 
to  me,  Foster.  My  word,  how  cold  it  is  !  I  wish 
you  would  shut  that  door.  The  draught  is  cutting 
my  legs  off.  I  daresay " 

What  Copley  was  about  to  say  was  lost  to  the 
listeners  in  the  hall  by  the  closing  of  the  door. 
They  could  hear  nothing  save  a  murmur  of  voices 
which  conveyed  nothing  to  their  ears.  Phillips 
touched  his  companion's  shoulder. 

"  Here's  our  chance,"  he  whispered.  "  The 
sooner  we  are  off  the  better.  We  cannot  learn  any- 
thing more  this  evening ;  indeed,  there  cannot  be 
much  more  to  learn." 

They  stole  cautiously  along  the  hall,  through  the 
kitchen  and  outhouses,  and  were  soon  outside  safe 
under  cover  of  the  darkness.  It  was  black  enough 
now  that  the  moon  had  gone  down,  and  they  could 
move  freely  into  the  road  and  across  the  heath  to 
the  village. 

"  Well,  what  do  you  think  of  these  precious 
rascals?"  Phillips  asked.  "Don't  you  agree  that 
we  are  deep  in  the  secrets  of  a  vile  conspiracy  ? 
We  can't  leave  it  where  it  is." 

"  Most  certainly  not,"  Fielden  said.  "  At  present 
I  am  thinking  more  about  Sir  George  Haredale  than 
of  anybody  else.  A  year  or  two  ago  I  should  have 
scorned  the  idea  of  his  doing  anything  dishonour- 


166  HARD  PRESSED 

able.  But  I  have  learnt  worldly  wisdom,  and  can 
imagine  how  it  would  be  if  Sir  George  were  suddenly 
face  to  face  with  poverty.  He  is  completely 
under  Copley's  thumb.  If  these  two  men  bring 
off  their  coup,  they  will  make  an  enormous  fortune. 
But  it  must  be  prevented  at  all  costs,  Phillips. 
Think  out  some  scheme  of  checkmate,  and  I  shall 
be  your  debtor  for  the  rest  of  my  life." 

"  I  think  I  can  manage  that,"  Phillips  said.  "  I'll 
tell  you  what  my  plan  is  when  we  get  back  to  my 
rooms." 


CHAPTER    XXII 

A  SOLDIER  OF  FORTUNE 

MAJOR  GARDEN  sat  over  the  breakfast 
which  his  daughter  had  prepared  for  him. 
He  had  been  unusually  late  the  night  before,  and 
showed  it  in  the  additional  pinkness  of  his  cheeks 
and  the  slightly  red  rims  under  his  eyes.  Not  that 
he  was  feeling  much  the  worse  for  the  previous  even- 
ing's pleasure  ;  indeed,  in  his  philosophical  moments, 
the  Major  was  fond  of  speculating  which  was  the 
wiser — to  take  his  fill  of  enjoyment's  cup  with  its 
concomitants  in  the  morrow  of  suffering  and  tribula- 
tion, or  abandon  such  courses,  however  delightful. 
One  mode  of  life  was  jolly  to  a  point,  but,  on  the 
other  hand,  the  man  who  exercised  prudence  and 
some  measure  of  control  had  a  compensation  in  his 
economy.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  the  Major  never 
had  been  economical.  "  Sufficient  for  the  day  is 
the  evil  thereof "  summed  up  his  religion  to  its 
fullest  extent.  After  a  stimulant  he  knew  he  would 
be  himself  again,  so  he  ate  his  breakfast  with  a  zest 
that  was  truly  amazing  after  the  carousal  of  the 
night. 

Mf 


i68  HARD  PRESSED 

For  Major  Garden  always  appeared  to  be  in  the 
best  of  health  and  spirits.  Beyond  his  impecuni- 
osity  he  had  little  to  trouble  him,  and  at  the  moment 
things  appeared  to  be  going  very  well  indeed.  He 
saw  his  way  to  make  money  out  of  Phillips,  and  had 
also  been  offered  a  roving  commission  on  the  Con- 
tinent to  purchase  horses  for  the  Army.  This  would 
entail  his  being  away  for  three  or  four  months,  but 
his  travelling  allowance  was  liberal,  he  would  put 
up  at  the  best  hotels,  and  enjoy  himself  in  a  manner 
consonant  with  his  mission  and  dignity.  He  would 
tell  his  daughter  that  he  was  going  abroad  on  some 
journalistic  commission,  for  the  Major,  to  do  him 
justice,  would  have  been  loth  for  Alice  to  know  all 
the  expedients  he  resorted  to  in  earning  his  pre- 
carious living. 

His  love  for  his  daughter  was  the  one  wholesome 
spot  in  his  otherwise  shady  existence.  He  had  been 
a  selfish  man  all  his  life,  had  spent  his  own  fortune 
and  his  wife's,  and  had  broken  the  heart  of  that 
unhappy  woman  in  a  gentlemanly  way.  There 
had  been  no  violence,  no  open  unkindness,  but  the 
refinement  of  neglect  that  undermines  health  and 
spirit.  When  the  crash  finally  came  the  Major 
removed  to  London  with  his  young  daughter.  He 
told  her  just  as  much  as  he  considered  necessary, 
with  the  consequence  that  she  regarded  him  as  one 
of  the  best  and  most  self-denying  of  men.  Alice 
had  few  friends,  and  none  knew  anything  about  .the 


A   SOLDIER  OF  FORTUNE  169 

Major's  means,  so  that  the  journalistic  fiction  re- 
mained unassailable,  and  Alice  could  speak  freely 
of  her  father  as  adding  high  intellectual  qualities  to 
his  other  gifts.  His  frequent  late  absences  from 
home  were  explained  in  this  way,  and  if  he  never 
said  anything  definite  about  his  work,  his  diffidence 
might  be  attributed  to  natural  modesty. 

In  the  circumstances,  therefore,  the  Major  was 
not  sorry  his  daughter  had  had  an  invitation  to 
spend  a  holiday  at  Haredale  Park.  He  had  thought 
of  inviting  himself  also,  but  his  new  commission  put 
that  out  of  the  question.  After  he  had  finished  his 
breakfast  he  helped  himself  to  a  liberal  dose  of 
brandy  and  soda,  and  had  just  lighted  his  first  cigar 
when  his  daughter  came  in. 

'  You  are  very  late,"  she  said  with  playful  fond- 
ness. "  I  declare  you  grow  worse  and  worse." 

"  Not  my  fault,  my  dear,"  the  Major  protested. 
"  These  things  are  inevitable  amongst  newspaper 
men.  I  thought  I  should  be  at  home  by  eleven,  but 
something  important  turned  up  at  the  last  moment 
and  they  told  me  off  to  attend  to  it.  They  are  good 
enough  to  say  they  can  depend  on  me,  Alice.  That 
is  one  of  the  advantages  of  being  steady.  If  any- 
thing goes  wrong  at  the  office  the  first  thing  they 
say  is,  '  Where  is  Garden  ?  ' 

Alice  smiled  affectionately.  To  her  this  was 
quite  natural.  For  a  girl  who  had  spent  so  many 
years  in  London  she  was  wonderfully  simple. 


i;o  HARD  PRESSED 

"  I  suppose  it  can't  be  helped,"  she  said.  "  How 
few  men  there  are  who  would  have  endured  your 
misfortunes  and  turned  to  and  made  a  living  as  you 
are  doing!  I  wish  I  were  clever." 

"  Oh,  so  you  are,  my  dear,  so  you  are,"  the  Major 
said  magnanimously.  "  The  great  thing  is  pluck 
and  perseverance.  Without  egotism,  I  think  I  am 
endowed  with  those  qualities,  and  to  some  extent 
so  are  you,  and  you  will  make  a  name  as  an  artist 
yet.  Stick  to  it,  my  child,  stick  to  it.  At  the  same 
time,  it  is  good  to  have  an  occasional  change, 
and  I  am  glad  you  are  going  to  Haredale  Park. 
I  suppose  you  can  manage  to  put  your  painting 
pupils  off  for  a  week  or  two  ?  Probably  you  will 
find  it  lonely  when  I  am  away.  I  shall  only  be  able 
to  run  over  from  the  Continent  occasionally." 

"  Oh,  I  shall  miss  you,"  Alice  said.  "  But  I 
shall  be  safe  enough.  The  landlady  is  always 
motherly,  and  she  will  see  I  come  to  no  harm." 

The  Major  dismissed  the  subject  with  a  flourish 
of  his  cigar.  He  had  rather  feared  his  daughter 
might  give  way  to  tears.  He  thought  she  might 
ask  him  to  take  her  along  with  him  and  so  put  him 
to  the  pain  of  refusal.  Possibly  the  girl  was  look- 
ing too  eagerly  forward  to  her  visit  to  Haredale 
Park  to  think  of  anything  else.  She  had  not  for- 
gotten the  days  when  Major  Garden  was  a  man  of 
position  and  they  occupied  a  fine  house  in  the  coun- 
try, when  she  had  her  horse  and  plunged  into  the 


A  SOLDIER  OF  FORTUNE  171 

dear  delights  of  country  life.  It  was  good  to  feel 
she  was  going  back  to  it,  even  though  it  was  only  for 
a  little  time.  She  had  already  made  her  modest 
preparations.  She  only  hoped  there  would  not  be 
too  many  visitors  at  Haredale  Park.  But  May 
Haredale  had  assured  her  they  lived  very  quietly 
and  had  not  many  friends. 

"  I  am  getting  nervous  about  it,"  she  said.  "  It 
will  seem  so  different  to  the  life  I  have  been  leading 
here.  If  I  had  only  foreseen  this  I  might  have 
saved  up  and  bought  myself  another  dress  or  two. 
Still,  I  know  I  shall  enjoy  myself." 

"  Of  course  you  will,"  the  Major  said  heartily. 
"  But  you  won't  get  much  gaiety  at  Haredale. 
They  don't  go  in  for  society  much.  You  see,  there 
are  very  few  of  the  old  families  left.  Times  change, 
my  dear,  and  we  change  with  them.  I  don't  sup- 
pose, plainly  speaking,  that  Sir  George  is  much 
better  off  than  I  am.  I  happen  to  know  that  much 
depends  upon  the  Blenheim  colt  winning  this  year's 
Derby.  I  was  in  the  Post  Club  yesterday  with  one 
or  two  of  my " 

The  Major  coughed  hastily  as  if  his  cigar  smoke 
had  gone  the  wrong  way. 

"  What  am  I  talking  about  ?  "  he  exclaimed. 
"  Anybody  would  think  I  am  still  interested  in 
sport.  Do  you  know,  beyond  an  occasional  day  at  a 
small  meeting,  I  have  no  time  for  that  sort  of  thing. 
I  was  in  the  Post  Club  on  business,  purely  on  busi- 


i;2  HARD  PRESSED 

ness.  It  is  a  very  sad  thing  to  see  young  men  wast- 
ing so  much  of  their  time  and  money  on  horses. 
But  I  can't  prevent  them  from  talking  and  am  bound 
to  hear  the  gossip  that  goes  on.  That  is  how  I 
came  to  know  so  much  about  Sir  George's  affairs. 
Every  penny  he  can  scrape  together  goes  on  the 
stables,  so  you'll  probably  find  that  Miss  Haredale 
leads  a  very  quiet  existence." 

"  I  am  glad  to  hear  it,"  Alice  said.  "  I  shall  be 
happy  with  her.  She  was  the  greatest  friend  I  had 
at  school,  and  I  can't  understand  how  I  ever  man- 
aged to  lose  sight  of  her.  Is  it  a  nice  place  ?  " 

"  Very  pleasant,"  the  Major  said  critically.  "  It 
is  a  grand  old  house,  full  of  works  of  art  and  furniture 
and  that  kind  of  thing.  Of  course,  all  these  things 
go  with  the  estate,  so  that  Sir  George  could  not 
dispose  of  them,  which  is  a  precious  lucky  thing  for 
the  heir,  for  there  won't  be  too  much  for  him  when 
the  time  comes.  The  stables  are  very  fine,  too,  and 
Sir  George  has  some  of  the  best  cattle  in  the  country. 
Oh,  I  have  no  doubt  you  will  enjoy  yourself.  When 
do  you  go  ?  " 

"  To-day,"  Alice  said. 

The  Major  appeared  to  be  slightly  embarrassed. 

"  Oh,  yes,"  he  said,  "  I  had  forgotten.  It  is  a 
trifle  awkward,  because  I  have  only  a  little  money 
just  now.  The  cashier  at  the  office  is  so  careless. 
He  omitted  to  draw  my  cheque  on  Friday.  Till 
to-morrow  I  am  not  sure  whether  I  shall  be  able  to 


A  SOLDIER  OF  FORTUNE  173 

spare  money  for  your  fare.  Next  week  it  would 
be  quite  different."  . 

Alice  Garden  kissed  the  speaker  affectionately. 

"  How  thoughtful  you  are ! "  she  said.  "  You 
are  always  thinking  about  other  people.  But  please 
don't  worry  about  that.  I  have  saved  a  little,  and 
shall  have  enough  to  keep  me  for  the  next  two  or 
three  weeks  and  bring  me  home  again." 

The  Major  expressed  his  gratification.  For  once 
at  least  he  was  sincere.  It  was  most  unfortunate, 
he  said,  that  he  should  be  in  temporary  need  of  cash. 
He  laid  strict  injunctions  upon  Alice  to  spend  what 
she  had  freely  and  not  for  one  moment  to  forget 
that  she  was  a  Garden  ;  if  she  wanted  more  money 
she  was  to  write  to  him  without  hesitation.  He  saw 
her  off  at  Waterloo  presently.  He  paid  for  the  cab 
in  the  most  lordly  fashion,  and  insisted  on  his  daugh- 
ter travelling  first  class,  though  he  had  not  the  money 
to  pay  for  the  ticket.  But  Alice  was  looking  forward 
too  eagerly  to  her  holiday  to  notice  these  things. 

"  Good-bye,"  she  cried.  '  You  will  have  left 
for  the  Continent  before  I  come  back.  But  don't 
let  the  thought  of  my  being  alone  in  London  interfere 
with  your  pleasure.  I  should  like  to  feel  you  were 
not  troubling  about  me." 

"  I'll  try,  my  dear,"  the  Major  said.    "  Good-bye." 


CHAPTER   XXIII 

A   CHANGE  OF  AIR 

ABOUT  the  same  time  that  Major  Garden  was 
sitting  over  his  breakfast,  Sir  George  Hare- 
dale  was  gloomily  contemplating  his  own.  He  had 
read  most  of  his  letters,  and  had  impatiently  pushed 
aside  the  sheaf  of  bills  and  applications  for  money 
which  poured  like  a  flood  upon  him  at  every  post. 
Some  of  them  were  peremptory  and  some  imploring. 
But  they  had  been  coming  in  for  so  long  that  the 
master  of  Haredale  Park  was  more  or  less  hardened 
to  them.  But  one  communication  was  distinctly 
out  of  the  common  and  worried  him  excessively. 
"  What  the  deuce  does  it  mean  ?  "  he  soliloquized 
irritably.  "  And  who  are  these  people,  Absolom 
&  Co.  ?  I  never  had  any  dealings  with  them. 
According  to  their  note-paper  they  call  themselves 
financial  agents,  but  the  whole  thing  looks  more 
like  a  communication  from  money-lenders.  Yet  I 
don't  see  how  I  owe  them  anything.  They  write 
to  remind  me  that  in  virtue  of  an  assignment 
made  by  Mr.  Raymond  Copley  of  a  certain  date 
I  am  in  their  debt  to  the  extent  of  more  than 

174 


A  CHANGE  OF  AIR  175 

forty  thousand  pounds.  What  the  dickens  is  an 
assignment  ?  And  what  does  Copley  mean  by 
doing  a  thing  of  this  sort  without  consulting  me  ? 
These  people  hope  I  shall  make  arrangements  to 
liquidate  the  debt  in  the  course  of  the  next  fourteen 
days.  Why,  they  might  just  as  well  ask  me  to  find 
as  many  millions.  But  I  daresay  there  is  nothing 
really  alarming  about  the  thing  if  I  only  understood 
it.  I  wish  I  had  a  head  for  figures.  I  wish  my 
father  had  given  me  a  business  training.  Still, 
Copley  will  put  it  right.  Perhaps  he  is  annoyed 
at  the  way  that  May  has  been  behaving.  But  I 
hardly  think  he  will  visit  her  folly  upon  me.  How- 
ever, I  must  say  the  thing  is  alarming." 

Sir  George  shuffled  the  letter  into  his  pocket  as 
the  door  opened  and  May  entered.  She  was  dressed 
for  going  out  and  was  buttoning  her  driving  gloves 
round  her  wrists.  Outside  on  the  gravel  stood  a 
smart  cob  in  a  Whitechapel  cart. 

"  Where  are  you  going  ?  "  Sir  George  asked. 

"  To  the  station  to  meet  Alice  Garden.  She  will 
be  here  for  lunch." 

"  I  had  forgotten  her,"  Sir  George  murmured. 
"  To  tell  you  the  truth,  my  dear,  I  am  rather  sorry 
you  asked  her." 

"  But  I  was  always  fond  of  Alice." 

"  Yes,  of  course,  why  not  ?  The  girl  is  all  right. 
But,  between  ourselves,  Garden  is  a  bit  of  a  bad  egg. 
He  comes  of  an  old  family,  and  I  recollect  when  his 


1 76  HARD   PRESSED 

position  was  as  good  as  ours.  But  he  muddled  his 
money  away.  He  always  affected  the  society  of  those 
sportsmen  who  are  ready  to  do  anybody.  He  made 
the  mistake  of  regarding  everybody  as  a  fool  except 
himself,  and  naturally  he  came  to  grief.  Those 
fellows  always  do." 

"  But  he  belongs  to  one  or  two  good  clubs,"  May 
protested. 

"  Oh,  I  know  that.  He  was  never  actually  found 
out.  He  was  mixed  up  in  one  or  two  very  queer 
transactions,  but  contrived  to  keep  clear  of  trouble 
himself.  There  are  scores  of  men  who  meet  him  on 
familiar  terms,  but  precious  few  ask  him  to  their 
houses.  Still,  the  girl  is  coming  here,  and  we  must 
make  the  best  of  it.  But  I  wouldn't  ask  her  again 
if  I  were  you.  You  can  easily  drop  the  acquaintance 
after  the  next  week  or  so." 

May  discreetly  refrained  from  discussing  the 
matter  further.  There  was  a  strong  vein  of  loyalty 
in  her  nature.  She  liked  Alice  Garden,  and  was  not 
disposed  to  visit  any  of  the  father's  shortcomings 
on  the  daughter.  She  had  almost  forgotten  what 
Sir  George  said  during  her  drive  to  the  station.  It 
was  a  crisp  day,  and  a  frosty  sun  was  shining.  There 
was  an  exhilaration  in  the  air  almost  like  cham- 
pagne. Before  the  station  was  reached  May  put  her 
troubles  behind  her,  not  a  very  difficult  matter  for 
a  girl  in  her  twentieth  year  who  boasts  of  a  fine 
constitution  and  a  perfect  flow  of  animal  spirits. 


A  CHANGE  OF  AIR  177 

Her  cheeks  were  glowing,  her  eyes  sparkling,  as  she 
advanced  to  meet  Alice  Garden. 

"  I  thought  I  would  come  for  you  myself,"  she 
said.  "  I  brought  a  cart  which  I  am  driving.  Now 
if  you  will  pick  out  your  boxes  we'll  get  a  porter  to 
put  them  in  the  trap  for  you." 

"  My  boxes,"  Alice  laughed.  "  Behold  my  humble 
belongings.  I  have  come  down  here  with  one  dress- 
basket  which  contains  all  the  finery  I  have.  I  hope 
you  haven't  many  dinner  parties  and  that  kind  of 
thing,  for,  positively,  I  have  only  one  evening  dress, 
and  I  am  afraid  that  that  is  hopelessly  out  of  date. 
Still,  if  you  have  any  special  functions,  it  will  be  easy 
to  plead  a  convenient  headache." 

May  laughed  as  she  took  up  the  reins. 

"  Calm  yourself,"  she  said.  "  I  assure  you  there 
will  be  nothing  of  that  sort.  We  have  dropped  out 
of  gaieties.  For  one  thing,  most  of  our  old  friends 
have  left  the  neighbourhood,  and  my  father  doesn't 
care  for  new  people.  We  three  will  probably  dine 
alone  every  night  of  your  stay,  and  we  can  ride 
and  drive,  and  I  can  give  you  a  day  or  two  with  the 
hounds  if  you  like." 

Alice  Garden  protested  sincerely  that  she  wanted 
nothing  better.  It  was  pleasant  to  find  herself  once 
more  driving  down  the  country  roads  behind  a  good 
horse.  It  was  like  old  times  when  she  came  to  Hare- 
dale  Park  and  surveyed  the  room  which  had  been 
appropriated  to  her  use.  It  was  exactly  as  her 

M 


178  HARD  PRESSED 

father  had  described.  Here  was  the  old  oak,  the 
long  rambling  passages,  the  china  and  pictures  and 
ancient  furniture,  all  in  the  setting  where  they  had 
been  fixed  the  best  part  of  two  centuries  ago.  Here 
was  the  open  landscape  in  front  of  the  mul- 
lioned  windows.  Here  were  the  woods  and  fields 
and  lawns,  and  in  the  distance  the  stables  where 
Sir  George  Haredale's  stud  led  its  luxurious  existence. 

It  was  pleasant  to  sit  in  the  dining-room  before  a 
well-appointed  lunch  with  the  fine  silver  on  the 
table,  the  vases  of  flowers,  and  the  beautiful  glass. 
Whatever  Sir  George's  feelings  on  the  subject  of  his 
daughter's  guest  were,  there  was  nothing  'in  his 
manner  to  which  the  girl  could  take  exception.  He 
was  natural,  courtly  and  charming,  as  he  always  was, 
and  appeared  to  take  the  keenest  pleasure  in  Alice 
Garden's  arrival.  So  far  as  she  could  see,  there  was 
no  sign  of  trouble,  no  grim  shadow  to  forecast  the 
ruin  hanging  over  the  house.  The  butler  and  a 
footman  or  two  moved  about  the  room.  The  sun- 
shine poured  through  the  painted  windows.  Alto- 
gether it  was  a  household  to  be  envied.  Alice's 
spirits  rose  accordingly.  She  meant  thoroughly 
to  enjoy  herself,  and  when  lunch  was  over  professed 
herself  willing  to  fall  in  with  any  plan  May  had  to 
suggest. 

"  Well,  let  us  have  a  ride,"  the  latter  said.  "  We 
will  go  over  the  Downs  towards  the  sea  and  come 
back  by  Seton  Manor.  Now  run  away  and  get  your 


A  CHANGE  OF  AIR  179 

habit  on.  I  will  have  a  horse  saddled  for  you  which 
is  not  too  fresh.  You  used  to  be  a  daring  rider  at 
one  time,  but  it  is  as  well  to  begin  cautiously. 
In  a  day  or  two  you  shall  have  a  hunter  after  your 
own  heart." 

They  rode  out  in  the  keen  sunshine  and  broke 
across  the  wide  expanse  of  Downs,  and  Alice  Garden 
gave  herself  up  to  the  exquisite  enjoyment  of  the 
hour.  It  was  good  to  feel  the  elastic  movement 
of  the  cob,  to  listen  to  the  thud  of  his  hoofs  on  the 
turf  and  catch  the  breeze  streaming  in  her  face. 
They  turned  presently  as  the  sun  was  setting,  and 
jogged  more  quietly  homewards.  A  little  later,  as 
they  came  to  Seton  Manor,  a  string  of  horses  clothed 
and  hooded  were  turning  into  the  stables.  Alice 
pulled  up. 

"  Who  lives  there  ?  "  she  asked. 

Some  colour  crept  into  May  Haredale's  cheeks. 

"  Our  neighbour,  Mr.  Copley,"  she  explained. 
"  He  is  a  newcomer  and  a  great  lover  of  horses  ;  he 
is  very  rich,  having  made  a  large  fortune  in  South 
Africa,  and  I  suppose  this  is  one  way  of  getting  rid 
of  his  income.  Like  most  beginners  at  the  game, 
he  has  hardly  any  good  horses,  but  that  is  probably 
because  he  hasn't  time  to  look  after  them  himself." 

"  Is  he  a  friend  of  yours  ?  "  Alice  asked. 

"  Oh,  well,  he  comes  over  to  Haredale  Park  pretty 
frequently.  My  father  has  struck  up  a  sort  of  in- 
timacy with  him.  Between  ourselves,  I  detest 


i8o  HARD   PRESSED 

the  man.  He  goes  everywhere  in  virtue  of  his 
money,  but  he  is  not  a  gentleman,  as  anybody 
can  see.  I  am  going  to  tell  you  a  secret,  Alice, 
which  you  must  not  tell  to  a  soul.  Mr.  Copley  is 
anxious  to  marry  me.  Needless  to  say,  I  have  given 
him  very  little  encouragement." 

"  Of  course,  you  wouldn't,"  Alice  said.  "  You 
haven't  forgotten  what  you  used  to  tell  me  at  school. 
Don't  you  remember  how  you  confided  in  me  about 
Harry  Fielden,  and  how  you  used  to  read  part  of 
his  letters  ?  I  never  knew  what  became  of  him." 

"  No,  I  never  told  you.  Well,  perhaps  I  will  to- 
night before  we  go  to  bed.  It  was  a  very  unfortu- 
nate business  altogether.  There  was  nothing  wrong 
about  Harry.  He  was  merely  very  reckless  and 
extravagant,  and  got  rid  of  his  money  and  went 
abroad.  He  hadn't  a  single  penny  left,  and  there 
was  an  end  of  my  romance.  It  sounds  very  common- 
place, but  it  is  just  as  serious  to  me  as  if  it  were 
one  of  those  pretty  stories  we  read  in  books.  So 
now  Harry  has  nothing  and  I  have  nothing,  and 
some  day  or  other  I  shall  end,  I  suppose,  in  marrying 
a  man  for  the  sake  of  a  home.  But  you  may  be 
certain  it  won't  be  Mr.  Raymond  Copley." 

"  How  very  sad  !  "  Alice  said  sympathetically. 
"  Do  you  ever  see  Mr.  Fielden  ?  " 

"  Oh,  yes,"  May  laughed  unsteadily.  "  In  fact, 
he  is  coming  towards  us  now." 


CHAPTER   XXIV 

A  STRANGE  VISITOR 

INTEREST  as  well  as  sympathy  lit  up  Alice 
Garden's  eyes.  She  looked  with  something 
more  than  curiosity  at  the  well-set-up  young  man 
who  came  striding  across  the  turf  towards  them. 
May  reached  over  and  laid  an  impressive  hand 
upon  her  friend's  arm. 

"  I  am  not  sure  I  meant  to  tell  you  so  much," 
she  whispered.  "  I  spoke  on  the  spur  of  the 
moment.  Harry  came  back  to  England  unex- 
pectedly a  little  time  ago,  and  I  met  him  by  accident 
in  London.  It  was  a  bit  romantic  in  its  way,  but 
I'll  tell  you  about  that  later.  He  came  down  here 
to  his  old  home  to  get  some  of  his  belongings,  and, 
to  his  surprise,  nobody  recognized  him.  I  was  the 
only  person  who  knew  him,  excepting  an  old  stud- 
groom  who  had  been  in  the  employ  of  the  Fieldens 
for  the  last  fifty  years.  When  he  found  that  no 
one  knew  him,  he  thought  he  might  procure  some 
congenial  occupation  in  his  own  neighbourhood. 
It  was  part  of  the  same  romance*  that  he  should 
obtain  this  employment  at  the  hands  of  Mr.  Copley. 

181 


182  HARD  PRESSED 

But,  of  course,  he  does  not  pass  in  his  own  name. 
Please  to  recollect  that  he  is  Mr.  Field.  Now, 
my  dear,  you  have  the  whole  story  in  a  nutshell. 
It  is  like  the  plot  of  a  novel.  I  am  the  beautiful 
heroine,  beloved  by  the  rich  bounder,  while  my 
heart  is  given  to  the  handsome  penniless  young  man 
of  good  family  who  is  in  the  villain's  employ.  Don't 
think  me  heartless  because  I  speak  so  lightly  of  it, 
and  don't  forget  to  behave  as  if  I  had  not  told  you 
this  story.  Mr.  Field  is  an  old  friend  of  ours,  and 
that's  the  only  thing  you  have  to  remember." 

Alice  Garden  promised  to  act  discreetly.  There 
was  no  time  to  say  more,  for  Fielden  was  beside 
them,  and  Alice  found  herself  bowing  to  him  as  if 
he  were  a  new  acquaintance. 

"  You  have  not  been  here  before  ?  "  he  asked. 

"  This  is  my  first  visit  to  Haredale,"  Alice  said. 
"  But  I  have  seen  you  before,  Mr.  Field.  Don't 
you  remember  you  were  with  my  father  and  Sir 
George  at  Mirst  Park  a  day  or  two  ago  ?  We  were 
not  introduced  then." 

"  Oh,  I  have  not  forgotten  it,"  Fielden  laughed. 
"  I  understand  you  are  an  old  friend  of  May's,  I 
mean  Miss  Haredale's.  Would  you  mind  if  I  came 
over  to-night  after  dinner  ?  " 

May  flashed  a  glance  at  the  speaker. 

"  We  shall  be  delighted,"  she  said.  "  I  fancy 
my  father  told  me  he  expected  Mr.  Copley,  too." 

Fielden  said  nothing  for  a  moment  or  two ;  then 


A  STRANGE  VISITOR  183 

it  suddenly  occurred  to  him  that  he  had  forgotten 
an  important  matter  which  would  detain  him  that 
evening.  He  understood  what  May  had  hinted  to 
him.  He  knew  it  was  hardly  prudent  for  him  to 
be  much  at  Haredale  Park  whilst  Copley  was  in  the 
neighbourhood.  By  way  of  turning  the  conversa- 
tion, he  suggested  that  the  girls  should  dismount  and 
inspect  the  stables. 

"  Nothing  I  should  like  better,"  Alice  cried. 

"  Then  come  on,"  Fielden  said  eagerly.  "  Let 
me  help  you  down.  You  will  find  the  stables  every- 
thing to  be  desired.  They  are  modern,  luxurious, 
and  nothing  appears  to  have  been  overlooked. 
From  first  to  last  they  must  have  cost  about 
twice  as  much  as  the  house.  We  have  a  dozen 
helpers  more  than  are  necessary ;  indeed,  things 
are  conducted  on  a  most  lavish  scale." 

"  And  the  horses  ?  "  Alice  asked.     "  Are  they " 

"  Well,  as  to  the  horses,  the  less  said  about  them 
the  better.  They  are  a  pretty  moderate  lot.  Per- 
haps later  we  may  weed  them  out  a  bit.  But  come 
and  see  for  yourself." 

It  was  growing  dusk  by  the  time  the  inspection 
was  over.  Then  the  two  girls  walked  back  towards 
the  archway  which  led  into  the  wide  stable-yard. 
Outside  the  gate  two  of  the  stable  helps  were  engaged 
in  an  altercation  with  a  seedy-looking  tramp  in  an 
advanced  state  of  intoxication. 

"  Excuse  me  for  a  moment,"  Fielden  said,  "  I 


184  HARD  PRESSED 

must  see  what  is  wrong.  Now,  my  man,  what  are 
you  doing  here  ?  " 

It  was  easy  for  the  girls  to  notice  what  was  going 
on  and  to  hear  every  word  that  was  said.  At  the 
tones  of  authority  in  Fielden's  voice  the  tramp 
looked  up  and  made  a  ludicrous  effort  to  pull  himself 
together.  Over  his  right  eye  there  was  a  fresh  cut, 
from  which  the  blood  was  trickling.  The  helpers, 
too,  showed  signs  of  punishment,  and  a  desire  to 
fling  out  the  stranger,  but  they  dropped  back  as 
Fielden  appeared. 

"  I  came  to  see  Mr.  Copley,"  the  tramp  said. 

"  Mr.  Copley  isn't  here,"  Fielden  said  curtly. 
"  Still,  if  you  want  him,  it  would  be  as  well  to  ask 
for  him  in  a  proper  manner.  What  do  you  mean 
by  pushing  yourself  forward  in  this  fashion  ?  " 

"  I  didn't,"  the  tramp  said  sulkily.  "  I  never 
said  nothing  to  these  men  till  they  ordered  me  out, 
and  one  of  them  shoved  up  against  me.  I  don't 
stand  that  from  any  one,  guv'nor,  and  so  I  tell  you. 
If  you  don't  believe  me,  try  it  on  yourself." 

Fielden  was  conscious  that  the  blood  was  mount- 
ing into  his  cheeks.  He  returned  for  a  moment  to 
where  the  two  girls  were  standing  and  walked  with 
them  into  the  road. 

"  I  think  you  had  better  leave  us,"  he  said. 
"  I  must  give  that  fellow  a  lesson,  and  this  is  no 
place  for  either  of  you." 

"  I  hope  you  won't  get  hurt,"  Alice  Garden  said. 


A  STRANGE  VISITOR  185 

'*  It  is  curious,  but  I  know  that  man  quite  well  by 
sight.  He  used  to  be  in  my  father's  regiment ;  in 
fact,  he  was  his  servant.  He  comes  to  our  rooms  in 
London  occasionally  and  my  father  helps  him  with 
a  few  coppers  and  some  clothes  now  and  again.  I 
am  afraid  it  is  another  case  of  degradation  caused 
by  drink." 

"  It  looks  like  it,"  Fielden  said.  "  This  man  was 
probably  one  of  the  Major's  racing-touts,  one  of  those 
broken-down  creatures  occasionally  employed  on 
more  or  less  shady  jobs.  But  he  must  be  taught 
decent  manners.  I  don't  think  you  need  be  afraid 
for  me.  I'll  try  to  come  over  to  lunch  to-morrow." 

Fielden  saluted  the  two  girls  and  returned  to  the 
spot  where  the  tramp  was  swaying  about  defiantly. 

"  Now  what  do  you  want  ?  "  he  demanded  once 
more. 

"  What  do  I  want  ?  "  the  fellow  sneered.  "  Well, 
I  want  a  sovereign,  and  I  am  not  going  till  I  get 
it.  If  Mr.  Copley  was  here  I  could  have  ten  sove- 
reigns. Yes,  and  he  would  be  glad  to  pay  me, 
too.  You  think,  because  I  have  been  unfortunate 
that  I  can't  get  any  money.  You  are  wrong,  young 
man,  you  are  wrong." 

"  Well,  you  won't  get  any  here,"  Fielden  said. 
"  If  you  have  anything  to  say  to  Mr.  Copley  you 
had  better  wait.  He  will  be  here  at  five  o'clock, 
but  you  must  wait  outside." 

"  Me  wait  outside  I    Who  are  you  talking  to  ? 


186  HARD  PRESSED 

I  don't  wait  for  no  man,  not  even  for  Raymond 
Copley.  I  have  got  to  get  back  to  London  to- 
night anyhow.  You  just  give  me  a  sovereign 
or  two  and  tell  Mr.  Copley  you've  done  it.  Tell 
him  if  I  have  any  more  of  this  sort  of  thing  he 
had  best  look  for  somebody  else  to  play  building 
houses  with  fruit  baskets  in  Covent  Garden.  Tell 
him  that.  If  I  have  any  more  of  this  to  put  up 
with  he  can  get  somebody  else  to  monkey  with  his 
fruit  baskets.  You  needn't  say  more  than  that." 

In  spite  of  the  man's  intoxication  he  knew  what 
he  was  talking  about,  and  was  plainly  desirous  of 
conveying  something  definite.  There  was  a  malig- 
nant look  in  his  eye  which  Fielden  did  not  fail  to 
notice. 

"  Oh,  be  off,"  he  said  impatiently.  "  I  won't 
have  any  row  here.  Are  you  going,  or  shall  I  turn 
you  out  ?  " 

The  intruder  answered  with  a  furious  oath.  He 
was  anxious,  he  said,  to  see  any  man  on  the  face  of 
the  earth  who  could  do  a  job  like  that.  He  lurched 
violently  at  Fielden,  and  the  next  moment  was 
sprawling  on  his  back  with  the  haziest  knowledge 
of  what  had  happened.  Then,  at  a  sign  from  Fielden, 
the  two  helpers  took  him  by  the  shoulders  and  legs 
and  carried  him  into  the  road.  He  rose  muttering 
and  threatening.  He  shook  his  fist  towards  the 
stables  and  lurched  off  until  he  was  swallowed  up 
by  the  darkness.  Quite  unconscious  that  his  knuckles 


A  STRANGE  VISITOR  187 

were  cut  and  bleeding  Fielden  went  about  his  work. 
It  was  only  when  Copley  himself  appeared  and  asked 
what  had  happened  that  Fielden  looked  at  his 
damaged  hand. 

"  Oh,  that's  nothing,"  he  laughed.  "  A  tramp 
came  here  not  long  since  asking  for  you  and  demand- 
ing a  sovereign  or  two  as  if  you  were  his  banker. 
The  fellow  was  insolent,  and  I  had  to  knock  him 
down,  but  I  had  no  idea  my  knuckles  were  cut. 
Needless  to  say  the  man  didn't  get  his  sovereign, 
though  he  did  leave  a  queer  message  for  you.  It 
is  astonishing  what  strange  things  men  say  when 
they  are  in  liquor." 

"  And  what  did  this  one  say  ?  "  Copley  asked. 

"  Oh,  he  said  if  he  could  see  you  he  would  get  as 
many  pounds  as  he  liked.  He  went  on  to  remark 
that  if  he  had  to  put  up  with  any  more  of  this  you 
could  find  somebody  else  to  monkey  with  your  fruit 
baskets  at  Covent  Garden.  Idiotic,  wasn't  it  ?  " 

Fielden  spoke  carelessly,  but  he  kept  an  eye  upon 
Copley.  He  saw  the  latter  start,  remarked  the 
queer  look  on  his  face,  and  how  his  eyes  gleamed 
with  anger. 

"  Absurd,"  he  said.  "  I  suppose  the  fellow  thinks 
I  am  interested  in  Covent  Garden.  But  there  is  no 
accounting  for  the  vagaries  of  a  drunken  man. 
Anyway,  it's  not  worth  thinking  about.  Any- 
thing fresh  to  report  ?  " 


CHAPTER   XXV 

THE   DERELICT 

RAYMOND  COPLEY  went  back  into  the  house 
in  a  thoughtful  mood.  The  much-envied 
and  much-talked-of  millionaire  was  not  particularly 
happy.  He  had  a  good  deal  to  occupy  his  attention 
and  had  reached  a  crisis  in  his  affairs  which  was 
likely  to  prove  awkward  unless  something  turned 
up  speedily.  It  was  easy,  as  he  often  cynically 
observed,  to  obtain  almost  unlimited  credit  upon  the 
strength  of  his  fictitious  wealth,  but  exceedingly 
difficult  to  raise  even  a  hundred  pounds  in  the  City. 
He  had  practically  no  security  to  offer  his  bankers, 
and  dared  not  do  anything  that  would  suggest 
to  an  outsider  that  he  was  in  want  of  ready  cash. 
One  or  two  of  his  schemes  lately  had  ended  in 
failure,  and,  so  far  as  he  could  see,  it  was  almost 
impossible  for  him  to  hold  out  for  the  month  which 
intervened  between  now  and  the  next  meeting  at 
Mirst  Park. 

Now  here  was  a  fresh  cause  of  annoyance  which 
he   had   not    anticipated.     Unfortunately   for   the 

ultimate  success  of  Copley's  schemes,  they  necessi- 
ty 


THE  DERELICT  189 

tated  the  employment  of  more  than  one  subordinate, 
and  these  subordinates  had  to  be  paid.  Moreover, 
they  were  drawn  unavoidably  from  the  refuse  of  the 
population,  so  that  they  were  a  standing  source  of 
danger,  for  it  is  hazardous  to  depend  upon  people 
who  are  usually  ready  to  sell  their  services  to 
the  highest  bidder.  One  of  them  had  been  so 
audacious  as  to  turn  up  at  the  very  gates  of  Seton 
Manor  and  demand  money.  Luckily,  he  had  not 
said  enough  to  rouse  suspicions.  His  remarks  to 
Fielden  might  easily  be  ignored  as  the  ravings  of  a 
drunken  wretch.  Certainly  they  did  not  convey 
much  intelligence.  So  far  all  was  safe. 

But  it  was  a  warning,  and  a  warning  that  Copley 
did  not  care  to  disregard.  Happily,  he  thought, 
Fielden  was  not  a  curious  man,  or  he  might  have 
inquired  farther  into  the  incident.  He  might  even 
have  been  disposed  to  speculate  a  sovereign  or  two, 
and  the  tramp  might  have  been  in  a  sufficiently 
reckless  mood  to  sell  information  at  that  price.  The 
thing  must  be  looked  into  at  once. 

Foster  sprawled  in  the  library  with  a  copy  of 
the  Sportsman  in  his  hand  and  a  cigarette  in  his 
mouth.  He  looked  up  carelessly  at  his  employer, 
but  seeing  there  was  something  amiss  put  down  the 
paper  and  waited  for  Copley  to  speak. 

"  What  has  gone  wrong  ?  "  he  asked. 

"  Oh,  everything,"  Copley  said  savagely.  "  Has 
a  single  thing  gone  straight  since  the  Mirst  Park 


HARD  PRESSED 

meeting  ?  Here  am  I  in  a  big  house,  furnished 
regardless  of  expense,  with  scores  of  tradesmen 
tumbling  over  one  another  to  serve  me,  and  yet  I 
haven't  a  ten-pound  note  to  call  my  own.  As  if 
that  was  not  bad  enough,  that  blackguard  Chaffey 
has  turned  up  here." 

"  I  suppose  he  wants  money,"  Foster  asked. 

"  Well,  that  was  the  idea,  no  doubt.  I  didn't  see 
him  myself,  but  I  understand  he  was  drunk  and 
objectionable,  and  Field  turned  him  out.  They 
had  a  bit  of  a  scrimmage,  and  I  hope  Field  gave  the 
fellow  a  lesson.  At  any  rate,  he  went  off  quietly  in 
the  end." 

"  Then  why  worry  ?  "  Foster  said. 

"  Why  worry  ?  What  a  question  !  I  forgot  to 
tell  you  the  worst.  Chaffey  came  here  demanding 
money.  He  said  if  I  had  been  at  home  he  could 
have  got  as  much  as  he  wanted.  Imagine  what 
Field  must  have  thought.  He  would  conclude  that 
I  was  under  obligations  to  the  scamp,  but,  as  you 
know,  I  haven't  exchanged  a  dozen  words  with  him. 
Everything  has  been  done  through  you,  and  I  must 
say  I  can't  congratulate  you  on  your  choice." 

"  You  never  do  when  things  go  wrong,"  Foster 
retorted.  "  Would  you  have  had  me  employ  a 
gentleman  ?  Did  you  want  a  man  of  intelligence, 
who  would  have  asked  many  questions  of  himself. 
Chaffey  is  the  man  for  us.  But  you  are  making  a 
great  fuss  about  nothing." 


THE  DERELICT  191 

"  Well,  what  do  you  think  of  this  ?  Chaffey  told 
Field  that  if  he  had  any  more  of  this  sort  of  thing  I 
could  get  somebody  else  to  monkey  with  my  fruit 
baskets  in  Co  vent  Garden.  Ah,  I  thought  you  would 
change  your  tune.  Imagine  a  remark  like  that  in  a 
sporting  public-house  !  Scores  of  people  would  smell 
a  rat  instantly.  They  would  get  on  the  track  of 
money-making,  especially  if  Chaffey  happened  to 
mention  my  name  in  connexion  with  the  affair.  If 
they  only  found  him  with  money  and  plied  him 
with  drink,  he  would  tell  them  all  he  knew." 

"  Which  is  precious  little,"  Foster  said  coolly,  as 
he  lighted  a  fresh  cigarette.  "  Chaffey  doesn't 
really  know  anything.  Still,  we  must  make  him 
understand  that  we  won't  stand  this  kind  of  thing. 
What  do  you  propose  to  do  ?  " 

"  Why,  follow  him,  of  course.  He  can't  be  far 
away.  He  is  sure  to  have  gone  to  some  pothouse. 
He  went  down  the  London  Road,  and  the  best  thing 
is  to  go  after  him  at  once.  Let  us  take  the  car 
and  make  excuses  that  we  shan't  be  back  in  tune  for 
dinner.  You  think  I  am  making  much  ado  about 
nothing.  But  my  nerves  are  not  what  they  used 
to  be.  Come  along." 

Foster  made  no  objection.  In  truth  he  was 
almost  as  uneasy  as  his  employer.  By  and  by  they 
were  rolling  along  the  road  in  a  car,  stopping  under 
some  pretext  or  other  at  every  public-house.  They 
came  presently  to  a  small  place  where  they  heard 


192  HARD   PRESSED 

news  of  the  man  they  were  after.  He  had  left  a 
short  time  before ;  in  fact,  he  had  been  violently 
ejected,  because  he  had  no  money  to  pay  for  the 
drink  he  had  consumed.  Half  a  mile  farther  on 
the  motorists  espied  a  shadowy  outline  staggering 
down  the  middle  of  the  road  and  lurching  from  side 
to  side,  singing  as  he  went. 

"  That's  the  man,"  Foster  whispered.  "  Stop 
the  car  and  I'll  get  out  and  tackle  him." 

The  tramp  paused  when  he  found  himself  within 
the  radius  of  the  powerful  lights.  He  stood  trying 
to  collect  his  scattered  senses,  until,  finally,  he  got 
some  hazy  idea  of  whom  he  was  talking  to.  His  face 
grew  hard  and  sullen,  and  he  looked  none  the  better 
for  a  swollen  eye  and  a  cut  forehead. 

"  Oh,  it's  you,  is  it  ?  "  he  said.  "  This  is  a  nice 
way  to  treat  a  gentleman.  Here  am  I,  miles  away 
from  my  happy  home  and  not  a  penny  in  my  pocket." 

"  What  are  you  doing  here  ?  "  Foster  asked. 

"  That,  sir,"  said  the  tramp  with  great  dignity, 
"  is  my  business.  I  have  private  occupations  of 
which  you  know  nothing.  You  are  taking  advantage 
of  my  poverty.  Don't  forget  that  I  was  in  as  good 
a  position  as  yourself  at  one  time." 

"  You  might  easily  be  better,"  Foster  said  con- 
temptuously. "  Still,  you  haven't  told  me  what 
brings  you  here,  and  why  you  made  a  disturbance 
at  Seton  Manor." 

"  I  was  at  the  Lington  Meeting,"  Chaff ey  answered. 


THE  DERELICT  193 

"  I  lost  all  I  had  and  was  tramping  back  to  London 
when  I  recollected  that  Mr.  Copley  lived  close  by.  I 
thought  I  would  borrow  a  pound  or  two  from  him,  and 
that's  why  I  called.  It  would  have  been  all  right  but 
for  those  stable  men.  Would  you  care  to  be  treated 
like  a  dog  ?  I  lost  my  temper.  You'd  have  lost 
yours  if  you  had  been  in  my  place.  And  that's  all 
about  it.  I  don't  want  to  make  any  trouble  if  you 
treat  me  properly.  Give  me  a  few  pounds  and  I'll 
go  back  to  London  the  first  thing  in  the  morning." 

"  I'll  give  you  money  if  you  return  to-night," 
Foster  said  curtly.  "  Get  in  the  car  and  we'll  drive 
you  as  far  as  Maley  Junction.  Come  on." 

"  I  will  not  come  on,"  Chaffey  said  with  an  assump- 
tion of  his  old  dignity.  "  You  give  me  the  money 
and  I'll  go  to  town  early  in  the  morning.  I  can't  go 
before,  because  I  have  heard  something.  There's 
a  trial  coming  off  here  to-morrow  morning,  and  I 
am  bound  to  see  it.  You  don't  suppose  I  live  on 
what  I  get  from  you.  If  the  trial  turns  out  as  I  hope 
it  will,  it  will  put  a  lump  in  my  pocket.  Now  what 
is  the  good  of  standing  frowning  at  me  like  that  ? 
I  tell  you  I'm  not  going  back  to  London  to-night.  I 
won't  go  till  eight  o'clock  to-morrow  morning. 
If  you  don't  help  me,  I  know  a  man  who  will  give 
me  a  tenner  cheerfully  to  hear  how  I  monkey  with 
the  fruit  baskets  in  Covent  Garden.  But  do  as  you 
please.  I  don't  mind  lying  in  a  ditch  till  morning, 
and  I  don't  mind  tramping  to  town  to-morrow.  It 

N 


194  HARD  PRESSED 

wouldn't  be  the  first  time  I've  done  both.  Not  that 
I  want  to  quarrel  with  you,  Mr.  Foster ;  if  you  do 
the  fair  thing  by  me,  I'll  do  the  fair  thing  by  you. 
Give  me  a  quid  or  two  so  that  I  can  get  some  supper 
and  a  bed,  and  I'll  promise  not  to  come  near  Seton 
Manor  again.  What's  more,  if  the  trial  turns  out 
all  right,  I'll  send  a  message  to  Mr.  Copley." 

"  Oh,  give  him  money  and  let  him  have  his  way," 
Copley  cried  impatiently.  "  There  isn't  much 
chance  of  drumming  sense  into  him  to-night." 

A  whispered  conversation  between  Copley  and 
Foster  followed,  then  three  sovereigns  changed 
hands  and  Chaffey  departed  along  the  road  with  the 
air  of  a  man  who  has  an  object  in  life. 

"  You  have  done  the  right  thing,"  he  said.  "  I 
knew  you  would,  when  you  came  to  think  of  it, 
and  I'll  let  Mr.  Copley  know  all  about  the  trial. 
Good-night,  gentlemen,  and  good  luck  to  you." 

So  Chaffey  vanished  into  the  darkness. 


CHAPTER   XXVI 

A   SECOND   TRIAL 

DESPITE  his  cheery  optimism,  Joe  Raffle  did 
not  appear  so  gay  as  usual.  He  seemed 
to  have  something  on  his  mind,  and  those  under  him 
noticed  that  now  and  then  he  spoke  with  a  sharpness 
that  was  not  customary.  In  fact,  the  groom  was 
troubled.  He  had  been  glad  to  see  his  old  master 
again  and  to  know  that  his  small  conspiracy  looked 
like  setting  Harry  Fielden  on  his  feet  once  more. 
But  when  he  came  to  review  the  position  of  affairs  he 
did  not  feel  absolutely  satisfied,  though  he  had  done 
nobody  a  wrong,  nor  had  calculated  on  putting  a 
single  penny  in  his  pocket.  On  the  contrary,  he 
had  been  convinced  that  he  was  doing  a  most 
disinterested  action. 

But  in  the  light  of  the  past  few  days  everything 
looked  different.  Raffle  was  by  no  means  blind 
to  what  was  going  on  around  him.  There  was 
plenty  of  gossip  in  the  stables,  for  some  degree  of 
friendship  between  the  lads  at  Haredale  Park  and 
those  at  Seton  Manor  was  inevitable,  and  it  was  an 
open  secret  that  there  might  possibly  be  an  alliance 


196  HARD   PRESSED 

between  the  two  houses.     It  was  plain  to  Raffle's 
keen  eyes  that  May  Haredale  disliked  Raymond 
Copley  intensely  and  that  Sir  George  was  doing  all 
he  could  to  remove  this  objection.     Raffle  guessed, 
too,  pretty  accurately  what  was  the  state  of  Harry 
Fielden's  feelings,   and  saw  that  if  this  marriage 
took  place  his  little  scheme  would  be  worse  than 
useless.     If  Fielden  had  not  turned  up  again  it 
would  not  have  mattered.     But  as  it  was  the  large 
fortune  which  Sir  George  was  about  to  annex  seemed 
likely  to  go  into  the  pockets  of  Raymond  Copley. 
Joe  hated  Raymond  Copley  with  all  the  contempt 
that  an  old  sportsman  has  for  an  ignorant  dabbler 
in  the  great  game.     He  knew  that  Copley  cared 
nothing  for  racing  for  its  own  sake,  that  he  kept  his 
stable  only  to  give  himself  importance  in  the  eyes  of 
his  neighbours.     Raffle  was  not  aware  that  the  Seton 
Manor  stud  was  a  blind  to  cover  the  conspiracies 
hatched  between  Copley  and  Foster,  but  he  knew 
enough  to  set  his  teeth  on  edge  and  to  make  him 
determined   to   stop   this   hateful    marriage    if    he 
could.      It  was  gall  and  wormwood   to  feel   that 
after  all  he  had  been  working  and  planning    for 
the  advantage  of  Copley.     He  knew  that  Harry 
Fielden   would   have  some  delicacy   in  interfering 
and  believed  it  likely  that,  if  May  consented   to 
become  Copley's  wife,  he  would  forbid   Raffle  to 
say  a  word  about  the  real  ownership  of  the  Blenheim 
colt. 


A  SECOND  TRIAL  197 

This  was  bad,  but  worse  was  to  follow.  For  the 
last  two  or  three  days  the  colt  had  been  off  his  feed, 
and  Raffle  thought  he  was  developing  symptoms  of 
staleness.  To  settle  this  point,  he  arranged  for 
another  early  morning  trial.  He  had  confided  his 
intention  to  a  couple  of  his  trusty  helpers,  who  fondly 
imagined  that  no  one  knew  of  it  but  themselves. 
But  these  things  leak  out  hi  stables,  and  hi  some 
mysterious  way  the  projected  trial  reached  the  ears 
of  Chaff ey,  who,  when  he  chose  to  tear  himself  away 
from  his  beloved  bars,  was  one  of  the  cleverest  touts 
that  ever  worried  a  sta,ble.  After  parting  from 
Copley  and  Foster,  he  staggered  along  cheerfully  till 
he  came  to  a  roadside  public-house,  where  he  obtained 
a  shakedown  for  the  night.  The  thirst  for  drink  was 
upon  him — indeed,  it  was  seldom  or  never  absent- 
but  he  managed  to  put  a  check  upon  himself,  and 
retired  to  bed  with  strict  injunctions  to  be  called  at 
daybreak.  In  the  morning  he  rose  a  trembling 
wreck,  his  tongue  cleaved  to  the  roof  of  his  mouth,  his 
nerves  were  a-quiver,  but,  by  a  supreme  effort,  he 
kept  himself  from  the  drink  which  called  to  him  so 
strongly.  The  smell  of  it  hi  the  dingy  puVic-house 
appealed  to  him  mockingly,  but  he  thrust  the  fierce 
desire  aside  and  stole  off  to  the  Downs  with  splitting 
head  and  aching  brows.  He  resolved  to  make  up 
for  his  sufferings  later.  With  luck  he  would  be 
in  London  soon  after  nine  o'clock.  An  hour  later 
he  would  have  sold  his  valuable  information,  and 


198  HARD   PRESSED 

then — well,  then,  he  would  enjoy  himself  after  the 
manner  of  his  kind. 

Having  concealed  himself  in  a  patch  of  gorse,  he 
waited  with  what  patience  he  could  for  the  trial.  It 
was  a  long  and  weary  vigil,  but  presently  he  heard 
the  muffled  tramp  of  horses  and  the  sound  of  voices. 
Cautiously  Chaffey  raised  himself  and  peeped  out. 
He  knew  he  was  hiding  just  behind  the  winning-post. 
The  solitary  figure  standing  there  was  familiar  to 
him.  With  a  grin  he  recognized  Fielden. 

In  the  distance  he  could  see  two  horses  flashing 
along,  and  as  they  drew  nearer  he  made  out  the  fine 
dashing  outline  of  the  Blenheim  colt.  He  had  never 
seen  that  noble  animal  before,  but  his  keen  instinct 
told  him  he  was  not  mistaken.  He  forgot  his  aches, 
pains,  and  everything  else  in  the  excitement  of  the 
moment.  He  saw  the  Blenheim  colt  holding  his  own, 
sailing  along  with  a  free  and  easy  stride,  and  then 
suddenly,  within  a  hundred  yards  or  so  of  the  gorse 
bushes,  the  other  horse  came  away  and  finished  many 
lengths  ahead.  The  colt  had  a  peculiar  action  that 
Chaffey  did  not  fail  to  notice. 

"  They  are  right,"  he  said,  "  the  colt's  queer.  My 
word  !  it  was  well  I  came  here  this  morning.  This 
will  be  five  and  twenty  pounds  in  my  pocket.  And 
if  I  have  any  luck  that  bloomin'  Copley  can  get  some- 
body else  to  look  after  his  fruit  baskets.  I've  had 
enough  of  it." 

Chaffey  dropped  down  as  he  saw  Raffle  coming  up 


A  SECOND  TRIAL  199 

to  the  winning-post.  The  horses  had  been  led  away, 
and  nobody  could  hear  what  Fielden  and  his  com- 
panion and  Mallow  had  to  say. 

"  This  is  a  bad  business,"  Harry  observed. 

"  Looks  like  it,  sir,"  Raffle  said  gloomily.  "  I  can't 
make  out  what's  wrong  with  the  colt.  I  thought 
I  knew  all  about  horses,  but  this  puzzles  me.  He 
seemed  quite  right  a  day  or  two  ago,  and  I  can't 
see  now  what's  wrong." 

"  Oh,  there's  plenty  of  time,"  Fielden  said  cheer- 
fully. "  I  daresay  you'll  manage  to  make  him  fit 
for  the  Guineas.  It  is  a  good  thing  I  didn't  take 
your  advice  and  back  him.  I  am  glad  the  money  I 
got  for  the  library  is  still  in  the  bank." 

The  stud-groom  shook  his  head  obstinately. 

"  I  don't  think  you  are  right,  sir,"  he  said.  "  I 
still  believe  in  the  colt  and,  as  you  say,  there  is  heaps 
of  time  between  now  and  the  Guineas.  Of  course, 
I  must  tell  Sir  George,  and  a  fine  state  he'll  be  in,  I 
expect.  Just  think  what  a  difference  that  colt  will 
make  if  he  wins.  And  yet  you  refuse,  sir,  to  benefit 
by  so  much  as  a  penny." 

"  Why  should  I  ?  "  Fielden  asked.  "  Practically 
the  horse  doesn't  belong  to  me.  Legally,  I  suppose, 
he  does,  and  I  have  no  doubt  I  could  put  in  a 
successful  claim.  But  the  colt  was  only  a  yearling 
when  I  went  away.  He  has  been  trained  in  Mallow's 
stable  and  by  Sir  George's  man." 

"  I  never  call  myself  that,  sir,"  Raffle  muttered. 


200  HARD  PRESSED 

"  Ah,  but  you  are,  Joe,  morally  speaking.  You 
have  accepted  service  under  him,  and  you  take  his 
money.  I  know  you  have  behaved  exceedingly  well 
to  me.  I  know  you  have  meant  everything  for  the 
best,  and  I  thank  you  for  it.  But  I  cannot  interfere. 
Can't  you  see  that  I  am  in  honour  bound " 

"  In  honour  bound  to  stand  by  and  see  Mr.  Copley 
marry  Miss  Haredale  ?  "  Raffle  asked  indignantly. 
"  I  am  sure  I  beg  your  pardon.  I  forgot  myself. 
I  had  no  business  to  speak  like  that  to  you.  But 
that  is  what  it  is  coming  to.  Here  have  I  been 
working  and  scheming  and  keeping  my  mouth  shut 
to  put  a  matter  of  a  hundred  thousand  pounds  into 
Mr.  Copley's  pockets." 

"  If  the  colt  wins,"  Fielden  suggested. 

"  Oh,  he'll  be  all  right,  sir.  It  is  only  a  matter  of 
a  few  days,  but  if  this  thing  gets  talked  about,  why, 
the  colt  will  go  bang  down  in  the  betting  and  we  shall 
all  make  fortunes  with  the  outlay  of  a  few  pounds. 
There  is  another  thing  I  must  tell  you.  You  see, 
it  is  like  this " 

Raffle  turned  away  as  he  spoke,  and  Fielden  fol- 
lowed him,  so  that  the  figure  eagerly  listening  behind 
the  gorse  bush  could  hear  no  more.  Though,  on  the 
whole,  he  had  had  an  exceedingly  fortunate  morning, 
he  bitterly  regretted  that  the  deeply-interesting  con- 
versation had  been  cut  short  just  at  the  point  when 
he  might  have  picked  up  information  that  might 
have  made  his  fortune. 


A  SECOND   TRIAL  201 

*'  I  wonder  what  they're  talking  about  ?  "  he 
muttered,  as  he  limped  painfully  and  slowly  across 
the  Downs  towards  Seton  Manor.  "  I  suppose  I  had 
better  give  Mr.  Copley  a  tip.  I  can  send  it  to  him 
from  one  of  these  pubs.  He  doesn't  deserve  any 
consideration  from  me,  but  it  will  be  worth  a  fiver 
later.  Now  for  breakfast  and  just  one  drink — 
only  one  before  I  get  back  to  London  and  draw  my 
money.  There  will  be  plenty  of  time  for  fun  this 
evening.  What  a  fool  I've  been  !  If  I  could  only 
have  kept  off  that  accursed  liquor  I  should  have  had 
a  stud  of  my  own  by  this  time." 

With  this  philosophy  on  his  lips  Chaffey  turned 
into  the  bar  of  the  nearest  public-house. 


CHAPTER   XXVII 

DRIVING   IT   HOME 

/COPLEY  sat  at  the  breakfast-table  waiting  for 
V^  Foster  to  come  down.  He  had  glanced  impa- 
tiently through  his  letters,  none  of  which  appeared 
to  be  particularly  interesting.  Then  he  picked  up 
a  repulsive-looking  envelope  that  lay  by  the  side  of 
his  plate.  The  envelope  was  greasy  and  forbidding, 
though  the  handwriting  upon  it  was  fairly  neat  and 
clear,  if  a  trifle  unsteady.  Copley  was  on  the  point 
of  pitching  it  into  the  fire,  feeling  pretty  sure  it  was 
something  in  the  nature  of  a  begging  epistle,  when 
he  changed  his  mind  and  opened  it. 

"  Dear  sir,"  it  ran,  "  I  was  on  the  Downs  this  morn- 
ing and  saw  the  trial  I  was  speaking  to  you  about 
last  night.  Sir  George's  head  man  thought  it  a 
dead  secret,  but  I  had  had  it  from  a  sure  quarter, 
and  I  saw  the  race  between  the  Blenheim  colt  and 
another  at  half-past  seven.  The  colt  was  quite 
stale,  and,  if  I  am  any  judge  of  such  matters,  I 
think  it  will  take  all  their  time  to  wind  him  up  for 
the  Guineas.  I  thought  you  would  like  to  know  this, 
Because,  properly  handled,  there  is  money  in  it. 


DRIVING  IT  HOME  203 

Perhaps  it  may  be  worth  a  five-pound  note  to  me 
the  next  time  we  meet." 

There  was  no  signature  to  this  document,  but 
Copley  guessed  where  it  came  from.  He  rose  from 
the  table  and  stood  for  a  while  thinking  this  over. 
There  was  money  in  the  tidings,  but  not  in  the  way 
hinted  at  by  Chaffey. 

"  Anything  fresh  ?  "  Foster  asked,  as  he  attacked 
his  breakfast  with  zest.  "  You  look  rather  pleased 
about  something." 

"  Well,  I  am,"  Copley  said,  with  a  sinister  smile 
he  found  it  hard  to  conceal.  "  I've  got  something 
here  that  looks  like  good  business  if  we  can  only  hold 
on  a  bit  longer.  As  you  know,  we  don't  quite  agree 
as  to  how  Sir  George  Haredale  is  to  be  handled. 
If  I  went  to  him  boldly  and  told  him  that  he  must 
scratch  the  Blenheim  colt,  do  you  think  he  would 
consent  if  he  saw  I  was  in  earnest  ?  My  opinion  is 
he  would  kick  me  out  of  the  house.  But  there  is 
another  way  of  working  it,  and  for  the  hint  I  have 
to  thank  Chaffey,  of  all  people  in  the  world.  Here 
is  a  note  from  him." 

"  Wants  more  money,"  Foster  said  with  his  mouth 
full. 

"  Not  for  the  moment,  at  any  rate.  He  thinks 
his  information  is  worth  a  prospective  fiver.  As  a 
matter  of  fact,  it  is  invaluable.  You  know  he  told 
us  last  night  that  he  wasn't  going  away  till  he  wit- 
nessed a  trial  this  morning.  He  has  seen  it,  and 


204  HARD   PRESSED 

this  letter  gives  me  the  result.  The  trial  was  that  of 
the  Blenheim  colt.  Chaff ey  says  it  will  take  them  all 
their  time  to  get  him  fit  for  the  Guineas,  even  if  they 
can  manage  it.  Chaffey  is  probably  in  town  by  now, 
and  has  no  doubt  sold  his  information  to  some  smart 
bookmaker.  By  this  time  to-morrow  the  Blenheim 
colt  will  be  knocked  out  of  the  betting,  and  one  will 
be  able  to  get  any  price  one  likes.  When  this  be- 
comes public  property  Sir  George  will  be  justified  in 
scratching  the  colt.  He  could  say  he  had  no  hopes 
now  of  winning  the  Derby,  and  has  taken  this  step 
solely  on  behalf  of  the  public.  Everybody  will  be- 
lieve him.  No  questions  will  be  asked,  and  his 
conduct  will  be  regarded  as  most  sportsmanlike.  Do 
you  see  what  I  am  driving  at  ?  " 

"  By  Jove  !  "  Foster  exclaimed.  "  That  is  really 
smart  of  you.  As  Sir  George  backed  his  colt  at  long 
prices  the  money  loss  will  be  small.  You  can  arrange 
as  to  the  money  Sir  George  owes  you,  and  directly  the 
pen  is  put  through  the  colt's  name  we  shall  be  masters 
of  a  hundred  thousand  pounds.  It  isn't  so  much 
as  we  expected,  but  we  shall  be  able  to  draw  the 
money  during  the  next  few  days,  and  then  be  in  a 
position  to  carry  on  a  war  against  the  bookmakers 
till  we  have  made  as  much  as  we  like.  Things  are 
entirely  in  your  hands.  You  have  only  to  put  it 
plainly  to  Sir  George  and  offer  to  cancel  his  mort- 
gages, and  the  thing  is  done.  He'll  fall  in  with  your 
suggestion  readily.  He  only  wants  the  excuse  to 


DRIVING  IT  HOME  205 

get  out.  You'll  want  to  handle  him  carefully,  of 
course.  But  every  man  has  his  price,  and  I  don't 
believe  Haredale  is  any  exception  to  the  rule." 

"  I'll  do  it  to-day,"  Copley  muttered. 
'  That's  right,"  Foster  said  approvingly,  "  there's 
nothing  like  striking  while  the  iron  is  hot.  But 
if  I  were  you  I'd  run  up  to  town  first  and  give 
Absalom  &  Co.  a  hint  to  put  the  screw  on  without 
delay.  What  you  have  to  do  is  thoroughly  to 
frighten  Sir  George,  who  will  probably  send  for  you, 
and  see  if  he  can't  arrange  terms.  We  had  better 
motor  to  London  at  once.  It  might  be  as  well  to 
get  Absalom's  people  to  send  a  man  down  this  after- 
noon to  let  Sir  George  know  that  business  is  meant. 
By  the  time  we  get  back  this  evening  there  will  be 
a  note  from  Sir  George  asking  you  to  go  over  and  see 
him.  If  not,  I  am  no  prophet." 

On  the  best  of  terms  with  themselves  the  conspira- 
tors started  for  town  half  an  hour  later,  and  before 
eleven  o'clock  Copley  was  closeted  with  the  principal 
of  the  well-known  financial  house  of  Absalom  &Co. 
Apparently  the  interview  was  to  his  satisfaction, 
for  he  soon  made  his  way  to  the  Post  Club.  Foster 
joined  him  at  lunch,  and  up  to  four  o'clock  they 
amused  themselves  by  making  small  wagers  on  the 
day's  racing.  Soon  after  five  one  of  the  waiters 
came  into  the  smoking-room  and  informed  Copley 
that  a  gentleman  was  waiting  to  see  him. 

He  went  downstairs  to  find  Mr.  Absalom  in  the 


206  HARD   PRESSED 

ante-room.  The  latter  smiled  as  he  heard  the  click- 
ing of  the  machines. 

"  Do  you  do  anything  in  that  way  ?  "  Copley  asked. 

"  Not  I,"  the  visitor  laughed.  "  I  leave  that  to 
the  fools  who  have  more  money  than  sense.  If  there 
were  no  such  thing  as  a  horse  or  a  bet  I  should  be 
deprived  of  nine-tenths  of  my  clients,  and  instead 
of  being  a  rich  man,  I  should  be  hard  put  to  it  to 
obtain  a  li ving.  So  the  sport  has  all  my  sympathy. 
But  I  didn't  come  here  to  discuss  racing.  I  want  to 
speak  to  you  about  Sir  George  Haredale.  I  sent  my 
manager  down  to  see  him." 

"  Yes,  yes,"  Copley  said  impatiently. 

"  Oh,  I  won't  detain  you  longer  than  I  can  help. 
My  manager  saw  Sir  George  and  had  a  long  conver- 
sation with  him.  He  was  inclined  to  be  high  and 
mighty  at  first,  but  we  soon  changed  all  that.  He 
was  very  anxious  to  know  why  you  had  transferred 
your  debt  to  us,  and  we  told  him,  of  course,  that  you 
were  engaged  in  very  big  speculations  which  called 
for  all  the  ready  capital  you  could  lay  your  hands 
upon.  We  also  hinted  that  we  were  finding  money 
tight,  and  gave  him  to  know  that  unless  the  cash 
was  paid  within  a  week,  we  should  have  to  avail 
ourselves  of  our  rights  and  place  a  man  in  possession 
at  Haredale  Park.  That  rather  knocked  the  old 
gentleman  off  his  balance.  My  manager  said  he 
was  quite  civil  after  that,  and  intimated  his 
intention  to  do  everything  he  could.  But,  at  the 


DRIVING  IT  HOME  207 

same  time,  he  appears  to  be  very  much  annoyed 
with  you.  He  thinks  you  have  not  treated  him 
fairly,  and  seems  to  hope  that  when  he  has  seen  you 
he  can  arrange  matters.  Of  course,  he  hasn't  the 
least  idea  that  we  are  merely  dummies,  so  if  you 
change  your  mind  you  can  telephone  to  us  and  we 
will  sit  tight.  He  said  he  expected  to  see  you  this 
evening." 

Copley  nodded  approvingly.  There  was  no 
need  for  hurry,  for  he  knew  that  the  longer  Sir 
George  Haredale  thought  over  the  matter,  the  more 
likely  he  was  to  yield  in  the  end.  After  thanking 
Absalom,  who  went  his  way,  he  sent  for  Foster. 

"  It's  all  right,"  he  said  when  the  latter  came 
downstairs.  "  Absalom's  people  have  seen  Sir 
George,  and  have  left  him  in  a  state  of  blue  funk. 
I  think  the  best  thing  we  can  do  is  to  let  him  think 
it  over  for  a  day  or  two,  because  the  longer  he 
dwells  upon  the  prospect  before  him  the  more  likely 
he  will  be  to  listen  to  any  terms  I  choose  to  offer. 
But  we  can  talk  this  over  after  dinner.  Let's  get 
back  to  Seton  Manor.  By  the  way,  I  suppose  you 
have  dealt  with  those  commissions.  Did  you 
manage  to  lay  any  money  against  the  Blenheim 
colt  to  advantage  ?  Has  the  trial  leaked  out  yet  ?  " 

"  I  managed  to  get  a  good  lump  on,"  Foster 
explained.  "  I  fancy  the  story  is  getting  known. 
According  to  one  of  the  papers,  the  Blenheim  colt 
has  gone  back  to  six  to  one.  I  think  we  have 


208  HARD   PRESSED 

done  as  much  as  we  can.  At  any  rate,  the  money 
is  as  good  as  in  our  pockets." 

At  Seton  Manor  Copley  and  his  accomplice  sat 
down  to  dinner  in  higher  spirits  and  with  better 
appetite  than  they  had  displayed  for  some  time. 
There  was  nothing  to  trouble  them.  They  had 
netted  a  huge  sum  of  money  without  the  slightest 
risk,  and,  what  was  more  to  the  point,  they  would 
be  in  a  position  to  handle  it  in  the  course  of  a  few 
days.  There  was  a  good  deal  of  flavour  in  Copley's 
cigar  as  he  lay  back  in  his  seat  sipping  his  coffee. 
A  moment  or  two  later  a  footman  came  in  with  a 
note  on  a  tray.  Copley  smiled  as  he  tore  open  the 
envelope,  and  intimated  to  the  servant  that  he  need 
not  wait. 

"  From  the  Baronet  ?  "  Foster  grinned. 

"  You've  guessed  it,"  Copley  replied.  "  He  wants 
me  to  go  over  at  once  on  most  important  business." 


CHAPTER    XXVIII 

HONOUR   BRIGHT 

AS  time  passed  Sir  George  Haredale  began  to 
think  that  trouble  was  really  before  him. 
He  had  not  the  least  pretence  to  be  a  business  man. 
He  had  always  been  prone  to  take  people  at  their 
own  valuation.  He  would  never  have  done  any- 
thing dishonest  or  underhanded,  and  he  paid  his 
fellow-men  a  similar  compliment.  He  had  never 
counted  the  cost  of  anything,  for  the  simple  reason 
that  he  had  never  been  taught  to.  If  he  wanted  a 
thing  he  got  it.  If  he  couldn't  pay  for  anything 
he  simply  owed  for  it.  When,  from  time  to  time, 
his  creditors  grew  pressing,  he  gave  his  lawyers 
instructions  to  raise  another  mortgage,  and  there, 
so  far  as  he  was  concerned,  was  an  end  of  the  whole 
transaction. 

It  does  not  take  long,  especially  with  two  or 
three  generations  of  similar  incapacity,  seriously 
to  embarrass  even  so  fine  an  estate  as  Haredale 
Park.  The  day  came  at  length  when  Sir  George 
was  under  the  painful  necessity  of  facing  the  inevit- 
^ble,  when  his  worried  lawyer  told  him  a  few  plain 

2W>  0 


2io  HARD  PRESSED 

truths,  and  he  realized  that  his  income  was  barely 
sufficient  to  live  upon.  Unfortunately,  at  this 
crisis,  an  occasional  run  of  luck  on  the  turf  had  re- 
lieved the  pressure,  and  it  occurred  to  Sir  George 
as  a  brilliant  idea  that  here  was  a  source  of  perma- 
nent income.  The  t  luck  ran  steadily  against  him, 
as  it  always  does  sooner  or  later,  and  at  the 
time  Sir  George  made  the  acquaintance  of  Copley 
he  was  literally  at  his  wits'  end  to  know  what  to 
do. 

It  was  a  misfortune,  though  a  disguised  one,  that 
Copley  in  his  headstrong  way  should  fall  in  love 
with  May  Haredale.  He  had  gone  about  his 
wooing  in  characteristic  fashion,  and  had  recognized 
that,  unless  he  were  in  a  position  to  force  the  pace,  his 
suit  was  hopeless.  Hence  he  had  helped  Sir  George, 
although  he  needed  every  penny  he  had  for  himself. 
At  that  time  Copley  did  not  see  his  way  to  get  it  all 
back  and  a  great  deal  more.  But  now  he  had  the 
consolation  of  knowing  that  he  would  come  out  all 
right,  whether  May  Haredale  became  his  wife  or  not. 

He  was  playing  his  game  with  wonted  caution 
and  cunning.  In  response  to  Sir  George's  note,  he 
pleaded  some  excuse,  and  on  one  pretext  or  other 
kept  clear  of  Haredale  Park  for  the  best  part  of  a 
week.  He  knew  how  to  play  his  fish.  He  knew 
that  delay  was  in  his  favour,  and  was  not  going  to 
spoil  his  triumph  by  undue  haste. 

Sir    George    was    thoroughly    frightened.     The 


HONOUR   BRIGHT  211 

interview  with  Messrs.  Absalom's  manager  came 
in  the  light  of  a  revelation  to  him.  He  realized 
that  he  was  in  Copley's  power,  and  that  the  latter 
could  ruin  him  whenever  he  chose.  Not  that  he 
expected  anything  of  the  kind.  He  was  of  far  too 
sanguine  a  nature  for  that,  and  being  a  gentleman 
and  a  man  of  honour  he  naturally  believed  the  story 
that  Copley  was  temporarily  hard  put  to  it  for  the 
want  of  money.  From  that  point  of  view,  of  course, 
Copley  was  behaving  very  well.  He  had  not 
pressed  Sir  George,  nor  had  he  insisted  that  the 
money  must  be  paid.  In  point  of  fact,  he  had  not 
mentioned  the  matter  at  all. 

But  Messrs.  Absalom's  manager  had  been  emphatic 
enough.  There  was  something  in  his  manner  which 
Sir  George  did  not  like.  He  actually  had  no  respect 
for  the  aristocracy,  and  spoke  as  if  money  were  the 
only  thing  in  the  world  that  mattered. 

"  It  comes  to  this,  Sir  George,"  he  said.  "We 
must  ask  you  to  make  arrangements  to  clear  this 
off  in  a  week.  It  is  business,  pure  and  simple,  and 
my  people  want  the  money.  Things  are  not  going 
well,  and  we  must  look  to  you  to  settle  this  claim." 

"Within  a  week?"  Sir  George  cried.  "Im- 
possible !  " 

The  shrewd  manager  shrugged  his  shoulders. 

"  I  am  sorry  to  hear  you  say  that,  Sir  George," 
he  replied.  "  In  that  case,  we  must  take  matters 
into  our  own  hands  and  sell  you  up,  including 


212  HARD   PRESSED 

your  horses  in  training.  We  shall  much  regret 
this  step,  but  necessity  will  compel  us.  The  best 
thing  you  can  do  is  to  consult  your  solicitors  and 
see  if  you  can  raise  a  loan.  Otherwise — well,  I  think 
I  have  made  myself  plain." 

The  man  withdrew,  leaving  Sir  George  to  his  own 
disturbed  thoughts.  With  his  sanguine  disposition 
and  lack  of  business  knowledge  he  still  clung  to  the 
idea  that  Copley  would  be  able  to  put  this  matter 
right.  But  when  Copley  wrote  that  business  called 
him  elsewhere  Sir  George's  vague  sense  of  alarm 
began  to  develop  into  a  perfect  nightmare.  At  the 
expiration  of  a  week  the  first  blow  fell.  A  man, 
shabbily  dressed  and  dingy  of  aspect,  called  to  see 
Sir  George  and  would  take  no  refusal.  He  stood  in 
the  hall  grimly  quiet,  waiting  for  the  master  of  the 
house,  who  appeared  presently  and  demanded  in 
his  haughtiest  manner  what  the  intruder  wanted. 

"  I  am  here  on  behalf  of  Absalom  &  Co.,"  the 
intruder  said.  "  Fact  is,  I  represent  the  sheriff. 
It  is  no  use  blaming  me,  Sir  George.  I  am  only 
doing  my  duty,  and  it's  not  so  pleasant,  at  that. 
But  I  am  here  in  possession,  and  here  I  am 
bound  by  law  to  stay  until  this  money  is  paid. 
As  soon  as  that  is  done  I  shall  be  only  too 
pleased  to  go  away." 

Sir  George  began  to  understand  the  position.  He 
had  heard  of  these  things  before,  but  they  had 
always  appeared  to  be  remote  enough  from  him. 


HONOUR  BRIGHT  213 

This  was  what  was  called  an  execution,  and  Sir 
George's  dignity  disappeared  accordingly. 

"  This  is  very  awkward,"  he  said.  "  I  had  not 
anticipated  anything  like  this.  How  long  will  you 
have  to  stay  here  ?  " 

"  Well,  it  varies  according  to  circumstances," 
the  man  explained.  "  It  all  depends  upon  what 
action  the  plaintiffs  take.  If  they  give  you  an 
extension  of  time  I  may  be  here  for  a  month.  Some- 
times I  have  been  in  a  house  much  longer." 

"  A  month,"  Sir  George  exclaimed,  "  impossible  !  " 

"  It  may  be  less  than  that,"  the  man  said.  "  If 
they  don't  give  you  any  time  at  all  I  shall  be  gone 
in  a  week.  In  the  ordinary  course  of  things,  at  the 
expiration  of  seven  days  the  sheriff  will  come  in 
and  sell  everything." 

"  Seven  days  !  "  Sir  George  repeated  the  words 
over  and  over  again,  as  if  he  were  trying  to  grasp 
their  meaning.  He  had  barely  a  week  to  find 
this  money,  and,  if  it  were  not  forthcoming,  every- 
thing he  had  would  be  disposed  of.  He  would  have 
to  face  the  world  without  a  penny.  He  wondered 
if  these  people  would  take  his  horses.  He  wondered 
whether  their  action  would  injure  him  in  the 
Derby.  But  misfortunes  never  came  singly,  and 
it  was  possible  that  the  Blenheim  colt  might  not 
start  for  the  historic  race  at  all.  For  the  moment 
everything  lay  in  the  hands  of  Raymond  Copley. 
Probably  he  had  not  the  slightest  idea  that  Absalom 


214  HARD  PRESSED 

&  Co.  had  gone  to  these  lengths.  No  doubt  he 
would  devise  a  way  out  of  this  disgraceful  situation. 
It  was  the  only  chance. 

"  If  you  wouldn't  mind  going  away,"  Sir  George 
said,  "  and  coming  back  later  in  the  day,  I  will  see 
what  I  can  do." 

The  man  smiled  broadly. 

"  Bless  you  !  I  couldn't  do  that,"  he  said.  "  It 
would  be  as  much  as  my  place  is  worth.  I  might 
even  get  prosecuted,  and  I've  a  wife  and  family 
to  think  of.  I  dare  not  stir  a  step  from  here,  Sir 
George ;  indeed,  I  dare  not.  If  people  treat  me 
well  I  always  try  to  give  as  little  trouble  as  possible, 
and  as  yet  nobody  knows  who  I  am  and  why  I  came. 
I  daresay  you  can  think  of  some  excuse  to  account 
for  my  presence  in  the  house." 

It  was  very  humiliating,  but  there  was  nothing 
for  it  but  a  mild  conspiracy  between  the  master  of 
Haredale  and  this  grubby  representative  of  the 
majesty  of  the  law.  Sir  George  led  the  way  into 
the  library. 

"  You  had  better  stay  here,"  he  said.  "  I  can 
say  you've  come  down  from  London  on  some 
business  in  connexion  with  the  stable.  By  the 
way,  it  is  just  as  well  I  should  know  your  name. 
Oh,  Brown,  is  it  ?  Well,  you  had  better  remain 
here  till  I  come  back,  and  I  can  arrange  for  you  to 
have  your  meals  in  the  kitchen.  I  suppose  you 
wop't  object  to  that  ?  " 


HONOUR  BRIGHT  215 

"  I  shan't,  if  the  servants  don't,"  Brown  said. 

"  Very  good.  I  am  going  to  see  a  friend,  and 
shall  return  as  soon  as  possible.  I  suppose  if  you 
had  a  telegram  from  Absalom  calling  you  back  to 
London,  you  would  disappear  without  any  trouble." 

"  Certainly,  sir,  and  very  glad  to  go.  I  have 
never  been  in  a  big  house  like  this  before,  and  it 
makes  all  the  difference.  But  I'll  do  my  best  to 
save  your  servants  from  knowing  who  I  am  and 
what  I  am  doing  at  Haredale  Park." 

Possibly  the  speaker  had  some  hope  that  this 
complacency  would  not  leave  him  poorer  than  it 
found  him,  and,  hi  his  sanguine  way,  Sir  George 
was  already  settling  in  his  mind  the  size  of  the  tip 
he  would  give  this  fellow  after  he  had  seen  Copley 
and  made  arrangements  to  get  rid  of  him.  Never- 
theless the  master  of  Haredale  was  really  distressed 
and  alarmed  as  he  made  his  way  across  the  fields 
to  Seton  Manor.  Perhaps  Copley  might  not  be 
back  from  London  till  dinner-time.  But  Copley 
was  there.  He  was  in  the  stable-yard  talking  to 
Foster  as  Sir  George  approached. 

"  Here  he  comes,"  said  Foster  with  a  grin.  "  I 
thought  he  wouldn't  be  very  long.  It  is  any  odds 
that  Absalom's  man  is  in  possession  already.  Our 
friend  looks  rather  dejected,  doesn't  he  ?  Now  is 
your  time  to  clinch  the  business." 

Copley  smiled  his  assent.  "  I  don't  think  we  are 
likely  to  have  much  trouble  with  Sir  George." 


CHAPTER  XXIX 

ACTING   THE   FRIEND 

turned  to  his  visitor  with  an  air  of 
V_><  surprise.  He  held  out  his  hand  with  an 
appearance  of  great  friendliness  and  began  to  talk 
about  horses  as  if  nothing  out  of  the  common  had 
happened. 

"  I  am  sorry  I  have  been  unable  to  see  you,"  he 
said.  "  But  I  have  been  dreadfully  harassed  in 
business.  You  country  gentlemen  think  that  capita- 
lists like  myself  have  unlimited  cash.  Never,  my  dear 
Sir  George,  was  there  a  greater  mistake.  There  are 
times  when  I  would  give  one  of  my  ears  for  a  thousand 
pounds  in  hard  cash.  Everything  we  have  is  locked 
up,  and  bankers  are  so  chary  of  speculative  securities. 
Of  course,  it  comes  all  right  in  the  long  run,  but 
really,  for  some  days,  matters  have  been  extremely 
critical.  However,  I  managed  to  make  a  satisfactory 
arrangement  last  night,  and  came  home  dead  tired, 
with  the  full  intention  of  not  going  near  the  City  for 
two  or  three  days.  I  hope  there  is  nothing  amiss 
with  you.  I  don't  suppose  there  is.  Ah,  you  want 
to  be  in  my  line  to  know  what  anxiety  is." 


ACTING  THE  FRIEND  217 

"  I  think  I've  a  pretty  fair  idea  of  it,"  Sir  George 
said,  as  he  shook  hands.  "  You  have  been  good 
enough  to  advise  me  once  or  twice,  and  I  thought 
I  would  come  over  this  morning  and  consult  you 
about  a  worry  of  my  own.  I  came  on  the  off-chance, 
and  esteem  myself  fortunate  to  find  you  at  home." 

"  Oh,  not  at  all,  not  at  all,"  Copley  said  breezily. 
"  In  fact,  I  was  coming  to  see  you.  My  conscience 
has  been  pricking  me,  and  I  feel  I  have  been  very 
rude.  But  come  into  the  library  and  tell  me  all 
about  it.  I'll  help  you  if  I  can." 

"  You  are  exceedingly  good,"  Sir  George  said 
gratefully.  "  I  have  had  a  most  unpleasant  shock 
this  morning.  It  has  to  do  with  those  people, 
Absalom  &  Co.  They  tell  me  you  have  transferred 
my  debt  to  them.  I  can't  understand  it." 

Copley  shook  his  head  as  he  motioned  his  visitor 
to  a  chair.  He  passed  over  the  cigars  to  Sir  George, 
and  sat  down  to  listen  in  an  attitude  of  respectful 
attention. 

"  No,  you  wouldn't  understand  these  things," 
he  explained.  "  It  is  only  the  man  of  hard  business 
training  and  instinct  that  can  follow  the  ramifica- 
tions of  modern  finance.  Finance  is  a  fascinating 
sport  with  substantial  gains  for  the  successful  man, 
but  Heaven  help  him  who  fails.  He  is  bound  to 
go  to  the  wall,  and  no  one  has  the  slightest  mercy 
for  him.  It  is  almost  a  truism  to  say  that  we  are 
at  war  with  one  another.  Though  outwardly  on 


2i8  HARD   PRESSED 

good  terms,  we  really  are  the  bitterest  enemies.  It 
is  part  of  the  game.  I  go  and  stay  with  other 
financiers,  and  they  come  and  stay  with  me. 
We  drink  each  other's  wine  and  smoke  each 
other's  cigars.  We  share  grouse  moors  and  yachts, 
we  even  marry  each  other's  daughters.  But,  at 
the  same  time,  it  is  everybody  for  himself.  That  is 
one  of  the  recognized  rules,  and  if  you  go  under 
you  may  become  a  clerk  or  something  of  that 
kind,  unless  you  prefer  to  blow  out  your  brains. 
It  is  all  the  same  in  the  City.  I  tell  you  this,  so 
that  you  may  understand  what  a  lot  of  enemies  one 
makes  when  one  embarks  in  a  new  venture.  It  is 
a  mistake  to  imagine  that  all  the  money  the  success- 
ful man  makes  comes  from  the  public.  Every 
time  I  make  a  quarter  of  a  million,  some  of  my 
friends  must  suffer.  I  have  a  very  big  thing  on  at 
present,  and  thought  I  had  guarded  myself  at  all 
points.  But  man  is  only  human,  and  it  is  impossible 
to  foresee  everything.  Two  of  my  cleverest  friends 
spotted  the  weak  point  in  my  armour,  and  were  not 
slow  to  take  their  opportunity.  They  squeezed  me 
to  such  an  extent  that,  about  a  fortnight  ago,  they 
very  nearly  crushed  the  life  out  of  me  altogether. 
I  was  compelled  to  find  forty  thousand  pounds  at 
a  few  hours'  notice.  The  only  people  I  could  think 
of  were  Absalom  &  Co.,  and  I  transferred  your 
debt  to  them.  My  dear  fellow,  if  I  hadn't  done 
so  I  should  have  been  in  the  Bankruptcy  Court  to- 


ACTING  THE  FRIEND  219 

day.  Absalom  &  Co.,  in  their  turn,  are  being 
squeezed,  and  that  is  why  they  are  putting  pressure 
upon  you." 

"  Then  you  can't  help  me  ?  "  Sir  George  said 
blankly. 

"  My  dear  Sir  George,  I  am  afraid  not.  It  is 
with  great  regret  I  say  this.  In  two  or  three  weeks 
I  shall  be  in  funds,  and  if  you  will  wait  till  then, 
why  I  shall  give  you  my  cheque  with  pleasure.  At 
the  moment  I  have  nothing.  In  a  month's  time  I 
shall  have  a  fortune  at  my  disposal.  But  probably 
these  people  won't  wait." 

"  Then  I  am  ruined,"  Sir  "George  exclaimed. 

Copley  murmured  that  it  looked  very  much  like 
it.  He  made  no  suggestion  at  all.  He  merely 
appeared  to  be  duly  sympathetic.  He  was  waiting 
for  Sir  George  Haredale  to  realize  his  position.  That 
done,  it  would  be  easy  to  play  his  game  success- 
fully. 

For  a  time  Sir  George  paced  up  and  down  the 
library.  He  cursed  himself  and  his  bad  fortune, 
blamed  Chance,  bemoaned  his  cruel  ill  luck ;  in 
fact,  like  the  weak  man  he  was,  he  blamed  everything 
except  the  headlong  folly  and  short-sighted  blind- 
ness which  had  brought  all  this  about.  In  the 
meantime,  Copley  sat  letting  his  fish  play  until  his 
strength  were  exhausted  and  he  could  readily  be 
drawn  to  land.  It  was  a  one-sided  battle. 

"  Is  there  nothing  you  can  suggest  ?•"  Sir  George 


220  HARD  PRESSED 

cried  despairingly.     "  Is  there  no  way  of  getting 
delay  ?  " 

Copley  made  no  reply  for  a  time.  When  at  length 
he  spoke  he  dropped  his  voice  to  a  persuasive  whisper. 

"  Well,  there  is  one  method,"  he  said.  "  Absalom 
is  a  sportsman,  and  he  takes  a  great  interest  in  racing 
matters.  Between  ourselves,  he  finances  some  of 
the  swell  bookmakers,  and  I  understand  has  a  grip 
upon  some  of  the  large  commission  firms.  If  you 
could  show  him  a  way  to  make  thirty  or  forty  thou- 
sand pounds  on  a  race  like  the  Derby,  you  might 
induce  him  to  withdraw  his  execution  for  a  month. 
Though  he  is  in  a  corner,  or  he  wouldn't  have  dropped 
on  you,  the  suggestion  I  speak  of  would  be  worth  a 
sacrifice." 

"  I  don't  follow  you,"  Sir  George  said. 

"  No  ?  Then  I  must  speak  more  plainly.  At 
the  present  moment  you  own  a  colt  which  looks 
like  winning  the  Derby.  I  know  the  colt  has  been 
coughing  lately,  but  your  man  Raffle  is  very  sanguine 
and  knows  what  he  is  talking  about.  I  see  the  colt 
has  come  back  in  the  betting  to  eight  to  one,  and  the 
public  never  seem  to  be  tired  of  backing  him.  That, 
however,  is  the  public's  look-out  and  is  no  concern 
of  yours.  In  the  colt's  present  condition  you  will 
be  justified  in  putting  a  pen  through  his  name  and 
nobody  could  blame  you.  Owners  don't  raise 
horses  for  the  benefit  of  the  public,  and  if  the  public 
choose  to  come  in  and  forestall  the  market  and  the 


ACTING  THE   FRIEND  221 

horse  is  scratched,  then  they  must  take  the  conse- 
quences. It  has  been  done  over  and  over  again, 
and  I  don't  see  why  you  shouldn't  do  it  yourself. 
You  needn't  do  it  to-day,  or  to-morrow,  or  even 
next  week,  but  if  I  can  assure  Absalom  that  this  is 
going  to  happen,  why,  in  that  case,  I  feel  certain 
these  proceedings  will  be  withdrawn,  and  perhaps 
such  terms  arranged  as  will  wipe  the  debt  out 
altogether.  Do  you  follow  me  ?  " 

Sir  George  sat  white  and  rigid.  He  seemed  try- 
ing dimly  to  comprehend  what  Copley  was  driving 
at.  All  the  time  Copley  was  speaking  he  did  not 
meet  the  eye  of  his  victim.  But  Sir  George's  face 
was  no  index  of  his  feelings.  He  was  quivering 
from  head  to  foot  with  a  nameless  indignation  and, 
though  Copley  did  not  know  it,  was  within  an  ace  of 
inflicting  personal  punishment  on  the  financier. 

"  You  can't  be  hi  earnest,"  Sir  George  said  witn 
difficulty.  "  Surely,  you  were  joking  when  you 
asked  me  to  do  this  thing  ?  Why,  it  would  be 
contemptible,  dishonourable  to  the  last  degree.  I 
expect  to  win  a  fortune  with  the  Blenheim  colt, 
but  I  backed  him  at  a  very  long  price,  and  if  he 
breaks  down  the  loss  will  not  be  so  great.  It  would 
be  bad  enough  to  lose  a  fortune  which  I  regarded  as 
as  good  as  hi  my  pocket,  but  deliberately  to  scratch 
the  horse,  to  wait  for  a  fortnight  whilst  these  friends 
of  yours  are  laying  against  the  colt,  is  an  insult 
which  I  did  not  dream  any  man  would  put  upon  me." 


222  HARD   PRESSED 

"  You  will  pardon  me  if  I  don't  see  it  in  that 
light,"  Copley  said  coolly.  '  You  have  a  right  to 
do  what  you  like  with  your  own.  You  are  justified 
in  scratching  the  horse  and,  indeed,  you  have  every 
excuse  for  doing  so.  I  don't  see  that  it  matters 
much  whether  it  is  done  to-day  or  in  a  fortnight's 
time.  You  may  lose  the  few  thousands  pounds  you 
put  on  the  colt,  but  that  seems  probable  in  any 
case.  And,  on  the  other  hand,  you  have  it  in  your 
power  to  wipe  out  your  debt  to  me — that  is,  to 
benefit  to  the  extent  of  forty  thousand  pounds." 

Sir  George's  indignation  began  to  ebb.  He  no 
longer  felt  a  disposition  to  smite  Copley  hip  and 
thigh  ;  he  was  thinking  of  his  own  position  and 
future. 

"  And  if  I  refuse  ?  " 

Copley  shrugged   his   shoulders   eloquently. 

"  In  that  case,  there  is  no  more  to  be  said  or  done," 
he  answered.  "  I  would  help  you  if  I  could,  but  I 
am  powerless  just  now.  But  perhaps  you  will 
think  better  of  it.  I  am  sure  you  will  be  tired  of 
that  man  in  possession  by  the  end  of  a  week." 


CHAPTER    XXX 

AN   ULTIMATUM 

rose  as  if  the  interview  were  over,  and 
he  had  done  all  he  could  for  his  friend.  But 
Sir  George  lingered.  He  stood  gazing  into  the  fire 
thoughtfully  and  moodily.  Copley's  last  shaft  had 
gone  home.  Sir  George's  whole  nature  revolted 
from  spending  a  week  in  the  company  of  the  man 
in  possession.  He  wanted  to  gain  time,  to  have  an 
opportunity  to  consider  matters,  and,  above  all, 
to  get  rid  of  the  incubus  which,  in  his  mind's 
eye,  he  could  see  seated  patiently  in  the  library  at 
Haredale  Park.  Yet  he  also  knew  what  he  ought 
to  have  done.  He  ought  either  to  have  knocked 
Copley  down  out  of  hand,  or  to  have  walked  out 
of  the  house  with  a  curt  intimation  that  he  and 
Copley  must  be  strangers  in  the  future. 

But,  like  the  weak  man  he  was,  when  the  pinch 
came  he  did  neither  of  these  things.  It  would 
never  have  occurred  to  him  to  assert  that 
he  was  a  man  of  honour.  All  the  world 
had  taken  it  for  granted,  and  in  this  opinion  Sir 
George  shared.  But,  on  the  other  hand,  he 


m 


224  HARD  PRESSED 

was  face  to  face  with  disgrace,  and  in  a  few 
days  would  be  homeless  and  penniless,  a  mark 
for  the  finger  of  scorn,  and  the  object  of  pity 
of  those  whom  he  had  looked  down  upon  from 
a  lofty  standpoint.  But  was  there,  after  all,  any 
great  harm  in  what  Copley  suggested  ?  Scores 
of  owners  of  horses  had  done  such  things  before, 
and  he  had  a  genuine  excuse  for  drawing  the  pen 
through  the  name  of  the  Blenheim  colt,  since  it  had 
fallen  ill.  If  other  people  benefited  by  the  know- 
ledge, it  was  no  concern  of  his.  If  the  colt  were  no 
better  at  the  end  of  a  fortnight,  he  could  be  scratched 
and  things  go  on  as  they  were.  Besides,  the  colt 
was  a  good  one,  and  in  the  autumn  there  would 
be  every  chance  of  winning  the  St.  Leger  with  him. 
This  reasoning  was  all  very  specious  and  wrong, 
but  it  wasn't  long  before  Sir  George  had  justified 
himself,  as  Copley  felt  sure  he  would  do. 

"  Wait  a  little,"  Sir  George  said.  "  You  can't 
expect  me  to  make  up  my  mind  at  once.  I 
must  have  time  to  think  it  over.  But  I  can't  do 
anything  as  long  as  that  man  is  at  Haredale  Park. 
If  you  can  get  rid  of  him  for  me " 

"  Oh,  I  think  I  can  do  that,"  Copley  interrupted. 
"  But  if  I  telephone  to  Absalom  &  Co.  from  here 
they  will  want  some  guarantee  from  you  that — 
well,  you  know  what  I  mean.  They  won't  want 
any  writing,  your  word  will  be  good  enough  lor 
that." 


AN  ULTIMATUM  225 

Sir  George  expanded  at  this  suggestion.  It  never 
struck  him  that  a  mere  negotiation  on  this  point 
from  Copley's  view  would  be  as  good  as  a  written 
document. 

"  I  think  I  can  give  it,"  he  said. 

"  Very  well,"  Copley  said  briskly.  "  I  am  glad 
to  hear  you  talk  like  that.  It  is  a  commonsense 
view  of  the  situation.  Sit  down  and  smoke  your 
cigar  in  peace  and  don't  worry  any  more  about  the 
matter.  I'll  go  into  my  office  and  ring  up  Absalom 
&  Co. ,  and  in  an  hour's  time  you  will  be  free  from 
your  trouble." 

For  three-quarters  of  an  hour  Sir  George  sat 
immersed  in  gloomy  thoughts.  Manipulate  the 
transaction  as  he  might,  deceive  himself  as  he  pleased, 
there  was  no  getting  away  from  the  fact  that  he  was 
contemplating  a  shameful  thing,  and  the  knowledge 
that  he  was  saving  himself  did  not  mend  matters. 
The  best  part  of  an  hour  had  passed  before  Copley 
returned  with  a  cheerful  face. 

"  I  thought  I  could  manage,"  he  exclaimed.  "  I 
felt  sure  there  would  be  little  difficulty,  if  we  only 
convinced  Absalom  &  Co.  that  there  was  a  good 
thing  for  them  here.  But,  mind  you,  I  had  to  give 
them  my  word.  They  wouldn't  accept  anything 
in  the  least  vague.  Nothing  is  to  be  done  for  a 
fortnight ;  in  fact,  not  till  after  the  next  meeting 
at  Mirst  Park,  and  at  the  end  of  that  time  the  Blen- 
heim colt  is  to  be  scratched.  You  have  only  to 

p 


226  HARD  PRESSED 

keep  him  short  of  exercise,  and  the  public  will  con- 
clude that  something  serious  is  amiss  with  the  colt. 
I  had  to  promise  this  before  I  could  move  these 
people  at  all.  Of  course,  if  you  don't  want  to  go 
as  far  as  that  I  can  ring  them  up  again.  It  would 
be  a  pity  to  do  so,  however,  seeing  that  by 
this  time  Absalom's  have  taken  steps  to  withdraw 
their  action,  and  in  a  few  minutes  the  man  at  Hare- 
dale  Park  will  receive  a  telegram  calling  him  back 
to  London  at  once.  You  had  better  think  the 
matter  over.  Don't  say  that  I  persuaded  you, 
for,  if  you  wish  to  break  off  negotiations,  it  is  not 
too  late  to  do  so." 

Copley's  voice  was  gentle,  but  there  was  nothing 
persuasive  about  him.  He  meant  to  leave  the 
matter  entirely  in  Sir  George's  hands.  But,  as  he 
had  confidently  expected,  Sir  George  did  not  re- 
pudiate the  bargain.  On  the  contrary,  he  thanked 
Copley  for  what  he  had  done,  and  when  they  left 
the  library  a  few  minutes  later  the  arrangement 
was  ratified.  As  they  made  for  the  stable-yard 
Copley  paused  as  if  something  had  suddenly 
occurred  to  him. 

"  There  is  one  other  matter,"  he  said.  "  I 
didn't  like  to  mention  it  before  for  fear  you 
should  imagine  I  was  forcing  your  hand.  Now 
I  can  speak  freely.  It  relates  to  your  daughter. 
When  I  lent  you  that  money  I  expected  to  have 
the  privilege  of  calling  myself  your  son-in-law.  I 


AN   ULTIMATUM  227 

have  not  yet  had  anything  definite  from  Miss  Hare- 
dale  ;  in  fact,  I  am  afraid  she  dislikes  me.  But 
things  can't  go  on  like  this,  and  you  promised  to 
put  in  a  good  word  for  me.  I  daresay  you  will 
think  it  strange,  but  I  have  set  my  heart  on  this 
marriage.  It  will  be  well,  perhaps,  to  let  your 
daughter  know  how  things  stand.  I  fear  she  doesn't 
comprehend  the  position.  Tell  her  yourself." 

There  was  no  mistaking  the  ring  of  command 
in  the  last  words. 

"  Certainly,"  Sir  George  promised.  "  I  will  do 
so  without  delay.  I  can't  for  the  life  of  me  under- 
stand May's  hesitancy.  Almost  every  girl  in  the 
county  would  jump  at  the  chance  of  being  Mrs. 
Raymond  Copley.  Besides,  May  must  marry  a  rich 
man.  But  leave  it  to  me,  Copley.  Come  over  after 
dinner  this  evening  and  see  if  we  can't  fix  this  thing 
up  once  and  for  all." 

Sir  George  returned  to  Haredale  trying  to  feel 
on  good  terms  with  himself  and  elated  with  the 
turn  things  had  taken.  But  he  could  not  dis- 
guise that  he  had  done  wrong.  He  could  not  still 
the  voice  of  conscience.  However,  he  was  re- 
lieved to  hear  from  his  butler  of  the  departure  of 
Brown  on  receipt  of  a  telegram.  The  man  had 
made  certain  promises.  He  would  call  again  later  in 
the  day,  but  had  left  his  address  in  case  Sir  George 
wanted  to  write  to  him.  It  was  very  correct  and 
discreet,  no  one  was  any  the  wiser,  nobody  had 


228  HARD   PRESSED 

guessed  about  this  black  disgrace,  and  in  the  full- 
ness of  his  heart  Sir  George  wrote  a  short  note  to 
Brown  enclosing  a  cheque.  He  was  sealing  up  the 
envelope  and  putting  on  the  stamp  when  May 
entered. 

She  was  fresh  from  her  ride.  Her  eyes  were 
sparkling  and  her  cheeks  glowed.  There  was  some- 
thing in  her  gay  abandon  and  her  clear  light  of  inno- 
cence that  jarred  upon  Sir  George.  Why  should 
she  have  none  of  this  trouble  ?  Why  should  she 
be  outside  of  it  all  ?  To  some  extent,  she  was  the 
cause  of  the  mischief.  But  for  her  Copley  would 
never  have  lent  Sir  George  any  money ;  but  for  her 
he  would  never  have  found  himself  in  the  clutches 
of  Absalom  &  Co.  This  was  as  specious  as  his  other 
moralizing,  and  he  never  imagined  that  he  had  fallen 
into  a  trap  set  by  Copley.  What  he  wanted  was 
some  one  to  vent  his  anger  upon. 

"  Where  have  you  been  ?  "  he  asked  irritably. 
"  I  have  been  looking  for  you  everywhere.  I  have 
just  been  having  a  conversation  about  you  with  Mr. 
Copley.  He  wants  to  know " 

"  He  already  does  know,"  May  said  coldly.  "  I 
thought  I  had  made  that  quite  clear.  I  shall  be 
glad  if  you  will  not  allude  to  this  again.  It  is  most 
distasteful  to  me." 

Sir  George  brought  his  fist  with  a  bang  on  the 
table. 

"  You  are  a  fool,"  he  cried.     "  I  beg  pardon,  but  , 


AN   ULTIMATUM  229 

I  can't  think  of  any  other  word.  You  don't  seem 
to  realize  what  obligations  we  are  under  to  Mr. 
Copley.  Do  you  know  that  if  he  liked  he  could  turn 
us  out  of  the  house  to-morrow  ?  Do  you  know 
that  even  this  morning  he  has  saved  us  from  a  great 
disgrace  ?  And  he  has  done  all  this  out  of  affection 
for  you.  I  can  assure  you  that  Mr.  Raymond  Copley 
is  not  the  man  to  be  played  with." 

"  My  dear  father,"  May  protested,  "  why  this 
violence  ?  I  don't  in  the  least  want  to  play  with 
Mr.  Copley." 

"  Oh,  this  is  no  joking  matter.  You  ought  to  be 
proud  to  think  that  a  man  like  that  is  ready  to 
lay  his  wealth  at  your  feet.  Now,  I  want  you  to 
understand  that  if  you  treat  him  in  this  way  he 
will  very  likely  teach  you  a  lesson.  It  is  no  use 
beating  about  the  bush.  We  are  in  his  hands.  And, 
therefore,  you  must  marry  him." 

"  Must,  my  dear  father.     Surely " 

"  Oh,  I  am  not  going  to  listen  to  any  more.  I 
won't  argue  with  you.  You  are  either  going  to 
marry  Mr.  Copley  or  I  wash  my  hands  of  you  alto- 
gether. I  will  not  be  ruined  for  the  mere  whim  of 
a  girl.  Now  you  quite  understand  me  ?  If  this 
thing  isn't  settled  to-morrow,  Haredale  will  be  no 
place  for  you." 


CHAPTER    XXXI 

A   POINT-BLANK   REFUSAL 

IT  was  a  cruel  shock  to  the  girl.  She  had  never 
heard  her  father  speak  like  that  before;  in- 
deed, she  would  not  have  deemed  him  capable  of 
such  harshness.  For  many  years  May  and  her 
father  had  been  the  best  of  friends  ;  indeed,  their 
relationship  had  been  more  like  brother  and  sister 
than  anything  else.  She  had  shared  in  Sir  George's 
pleasures,  she  had  known  most  of  his  troubles,  and 
generally  had  been  allowed  to  do  exactly  as  she 
pleased.  And  if  she  had  a  proper  sense  of  pride, 
it  was  Sir  George  who  was  mainly  responsible  for 
it.  He  had  never  forgotten  that  he  was  the  master 
of  Haredale  Park,  and  that  the  family  had  lived 
there  three  centuries  and  more.  He  had  always 
spoken  his  mind  freely  to  May  on  the  subject  of  new- 
comers and  interlopers.  He  had  declared  that  no 
matter  what  his  neighbours  might  do,  not  one  of 
them  should  ever  cross  his  threshold  ;  he  had  appar- 
ently despised  these  new  rich  from  the  bottom  of 
his  heart.  It  seemed  only  the  other  day  that  Sir 
George  had  spoken  most  contemptuously  about 


A  POINT-BLANK  REFUSAL          231 

Raymond  Copley.  A  few  months  before  and  he 
would  have  laughed  to  scorn  any  suggestion  on 
Copley's  part  to  become  one  of  the  family. 

"  We  need  not  envy  them,  my  dear,"  Sir  George 
had  said  over  and  over  again.  "  After  all,  money 
is  not  everything.  Of  course,  one  has  to  be  agreeable 
to  these  people  in  the  hunting-field  and  when  one 
meets  them  at  neighbouring  houses,  but,  thank 
goodness,  we  need  not  go  farther  than  that.  You 
won't  have  much  when  I  die,  but  so  long  as  you 
marry  the  right  sort  of  man  I  shall  be  quite  content 
with  your  choice.  I  can  trust  you,  I  know." 

These  recollections  crowded  into  May's  mind  as 
she  stood  face  to  face  with  her  father.  It  struck 
her  almost  with  painful  force  that  she  was  making  his 
acquaintance  for  the  first  time.  This  was  another  Sir 
George  Haredale,  of  whom  she  had  not  the  slightest 
knowledge.  He  looked  hard  and  sullen,  and  met 
her  eye  with  difficulty.  May  hoped  he  would  have 
the  grace  to  be  ashamed  of  himself,  that  this  was 
an  outburst  for  which  he  would  apologize  presently. 

"  Do  you  really  know  what  you  are  saying  ?  " 
she  murmured.  ."  I  hope  I  have  not  mistaken  you, 
father." 

"  You  have  not  mistaken  me  at  all,"  Sir  George 
said  sullenly. 

"  Then  I  am  to  understand  that  it  is  your  wish 
that  I  should  become  the  wife  of  Mr.  Raymond 
Copley  ?  " 


232  HARD  PRESSED 

"  I  thought  I  had  made  it  quite  plain." 

"  You  are  so  set  upon  this  match  that  unless  I 
marry  this  man  I  am  no  longer  to  consider  Hare- 
dale  Park  as  my  home." 

Sir  George  nodded.  He  had  not  the  courage  to 
put  it  as  plainly  as  that. 

"  I  will  try  to  be  calm,"  May  went  on.  "  But 
this  has  been  a  terrible  blow  to  me.  Even  now  I 
can  hardly  believe  my  ears.  Do  you  mean  to  say 
that  if  I  refuse  Mr.  Copley  I  am  to  be  turned  out  of 
house  and  home  ?  " 

"  Don't  be  dramatic,"  Sir  George  interrupted. 

"  I  didn't  know  that  I  was.  I  only  want  to  have 
a  clear  understanding.  Oh,  the  thing  is  monstrous. 
You  cannot  realize  what  you  are  saying.  If  you 
have  no  sort  of  feeling  for  yourself  or  me,  just 
try  to  imagine  what  our  friends  will  say.  We  know 
many  people  who  would  decline  to  be  on  visiting 
terms  with  Mr.  Copley.  There  are  lots  of  houses 
where  he  could  not  go.  Even  if  I  were  fond  of  the 
man  and  could  meet  your  wishes,  it  would  be  a  long 
time  before  certain  of  our  neighbours  forgave  me. 
What  will  you  say  when  you  meet  them  racing, 
or  hunting,  or  shooting  ?  Do  you  suppose 
this  thing  can  be  kept  quiet  ?  Do  you  suppose 
everybody  won't  know  why  I  left  home  ?  Do  you 
believe  for  a  moment  that  common  gossip  will  not 
say  that  you  turned  your  daughter  out  because 
she  refused  to  marry  a  man  whom  you  declined  to 


A  POINT-BLANK   REFUSAL  233 

call  upon  for  months  after  he  came  here  ?  I  know 
such  things  happen  in  the  case  of  boys,  but  I  never 
yet  heard  of  a  father  in  your  position  who  sent  his 
daughter  away  because  she  refused  to  sell  herself  to 
a  person  whom  she  both  disliked  and  despised." 

Sir  George  listened  uncomfortably.  He  was 
violating  all  his  best  feelings.  He  knew  what  a 
sorry  figure  he  must  be  cutting  in  the  eyes  of  his 
daughter.  Moreover,  every  word  she  said  was  true. 
This  thing  would  get  out.  It  would  be  a  dainty 
morsel  in  the  mouths  of  all  the  gossips,  and,  though 
he  could  rely  upon  May  to  be  silent,  other  tongues 
would  not  be  bridled.  But  he  comforted  himself 
with  the  assurance  that  things  would  never  go  as 
far  as  that,  for  when  May  saw  that  he  was  in  earnest 
she  would  yield.  There  might  be  tears  and  re- 
proaches, but  in  the  end  she  would  bow  to  his  wishes, 
and  though  Copley  was  not  popular,  yet  he  would 
be  accepted  in  time  on  the  strength  of  being  Sir 
George  Haredale's  son-in-law. 

"  There  are  reasons  why  this  must  be,"  he  said. 
"  I  am  under  obligations  to  Copley,  under  great 
obligations.  Besides,  he  is  paying  you  the  greatest 
compliment  in  his  power.  There  are  many  girls — 

"  Oh,  what  have  the  majority  of  girls  to  do  with 
me  ?  I  am  not  like  them.  I  have  not  been  trained 
in  the  same  school.  I  know  lots  of  my  friends 
regard  matrimony  as  a  matter  of  business.  They 
are  too  idle  and  selfish  to  think  of  anything  but 


234  HARD   PRESSED 

themselves.  They  would  deem  it  a  fine  thing  to 
have  the  spending  of  Mr.  Copley's  money.  But  I 
detest  the  man  too  much  for  that.  He  is  not  a 
gentleman,  his  manners  are  not  good,  and  I  am  sure 
he  is  neither  honest  nor  straightforward.  I  would 
do  anything  in  my  power  to  help  you,  but  if  it  comes 
to  this,  that  Haredale  Park  can  only  be  preserved 
to  us  by  this  hateful  marriage,  then  I  decline.  It 
is  too  great  a  sacrifice  to  ask  of  your  daughter.  Oh, 
how  can  you  even  make  the  suggestion  ?  " 

**  You  will  think  better  of  it,"  Sir  George  said. 

"  Never  !  I  have  said  the  last  word.  I  will  not 
allude  to  it  again,  and,  unless  you  take  back  what 
you  have  said,  I  will  accept  you  at  your  word  and 
go  out  into  the  world  and  earn  my  own  living. 
Don't  mention  it  again." 

Sir  George  looked  uneasily  at  his  daughter.  Her 
austere  sternness  disturbed  him.  He  said  that 
Copley  was  coming  over  later  in  the  evening  to 
hear  what  May  had  to  say  on  the' matter. 

"  Very  well,"  she  answered,  "  I  am  rather  glad 
of  that.  I  shall  be  able  to  settle  this  thing  for 
ever." 

She  turned  and  swept  from  the  room.  She  was 
glad  she  had  kept  the  tears  out  of  her  eyes. 
She  was  glad  Sir  George  little  knew  how  terribly 
he  had  wounded  her.  For  the  rest  of  the  day 
May  went  about  the  house  as  though  nothing 
had  happened.  She  had  a  smile  and  a  pleasant 


A  POINT-BLANK  REFUSAL  235 

word  for  her  visitor,  so  that  even  Sir  George  took 
heart  of  grace  and  deluded  himself  with  the  idea 
that  his  firmness  had  not  been  misplaced.  It  was 
only  when  Copley  came  that  he  found  out  how 
mistaken  he  was.  Copley  had  no  difficulty  in  get- 
ting May  to  himself,  for  Alice  Garden  was  deeply 
engrossed  in  a  book,  and  Sir  George  was  sitting  over 
his  cigar  in  the  library.  At  the  very  first  hint  of 
the  reason  for  his  visit  May  turned  to  him. 

"  I  think  I  know  what  you  are  going  to  say,"  she 
observed.  "  I  shall  be  glad  to  have  this  matter 
finally  settled.  Oh,  no,  I  don't  mean  what  you 
do  at  all.  Will  you  be  good  enough  to  come  to  the 
library  with  me,  because  I  should  like  my  father  to 
hear  what  passes  between  us  ?  I  won't  detain  you 
more  than  a  few  minutes,  and  it  is  the  best  way." 

The  self-satisfied  smile  died  from  Copley's  lips. 
He  had  not  expected  a  reception  like  this,  and  it  sur- 
prised him,  too,  to  see  this  uncompromising  dignity 
in  May's  manner.  Perhaps  she  had  never  been 
more  alluring  or  more  attractive  in  his  eyes  than 
she  was  at  that  moment,  and  he  knew,  too,  with- 
out any  words  from  her,  that  he  was  on  the  eve 
of  defeat. 

"  Very  well,"  he  said,  "  though  I  don't  see  why 
we  shouldn't  settle  it  between  us.  It  is  our  affair." 

May  made  no  reply.  She  walked  into  the  library, 
followed  by  Copley.  Sir  George  turned  eagerly  as 
they  entered. 


236  HARD  PRESSED 

"  Ah,  well  ?  "  he  said  with  an  uneasy  attempt  at 
playfulness.  "  I  see  you  have  come  to  an  under- 
standing." 

"  I  trust  so,"  May  said  quietly,  "  though  I  don't 
think  it  is  the  understanding  you  anticipate. 
This  is  a  very  hateful  position  for  me,  and  I  would 
give  a  good  deal  to  be  out  of  it.  But  it  would 
be  cowardly  if  I  tried  to  shirk  my  duty.  Mr.  Copley 
has  already  asked  me  to  be  his  wife,  and  I  refused 
him.  I  do  not  wish  to  give  him  any  pain,  but  I 
had  to  put  the  matter  plainly  because  he  is  a  per- 
sistent man  and  not  inclined  to  take  '  No  '  for  an 
answer.  I  understand  he  has  come  here  to-night 
to  renew  his  offer.  Now,  Mr.  Copley,  I  have  to  tell 
you  before  my  father  that  what  you  ask  is  impos- 
sible. I  am  old-fashioned  enough  to  prefer  happi- 
ness to  money,  and  I  could  not  marry  a  man  <wtiom 
I  did  not  love.  I  have  never  liked  you,  I  never 
could  like  you,  in  fact,  I  hope  you  won't  think  me 
rude  when  I  say  that  I  dislike  you  exceedingly. 
Besides,  there  is  something  unmanly  and  cowardly 
in  pursuing  a  defenceless  girl  in  this  way.  If  you 
have  one  spark  of  proper  feeling  you  will  never 
allude  to  this  topic  again.  I  don't  want  to  appeal 
to  your  pride.  I  think  I  have  said  enough." 

Copley  said  nothing  at  the  moment.  He  was 
struggling  to  obtain  the  mastery  of  himself.  His 
face  flushed  angrily.  There  was  a  nasty  glitter  in 
his  eyes. 


A  POINT-BLANK   REFUSAL  237 

"  Does  she  understand  ?  "  he  asked. 

"  It  is  not  my  fault  if  she  doesn't,"  Sir  George 
muttered. 

"  It  is  because  I  do  understand,"  May  said, 
"  that  I  am  all  the  more  determined  in  my  refusal." 


CHAPTER    XXXII 

AN  EASY  FALL 

moment,"  Copley  put  in.  "If  Sir  George 
has  explained  matters,  then,  perhaps  I 
can  speak  freely.  Your  father  is  indebted  to  me — 
I  will  not  say  anything  about  the  amount,  for  that 
would  all  be  wiped  out  and  we  could  start  on  a 
much  better  footing  if  you  would  only  take  another 
view  of  the  case.  If  you  persist " 

'  You  can  take  that  for  granted,"  May  said. 

"  Would  you  like  to  think  it  over  ?  "  Copley 
suggested. 

"  Oh,  I  have  thought  it  over.  I  have  had  all 
day  to  think  it  over.  I  see  you  mean  to  force  me 
to  speak  more  plainly  still.  You  have  a  hold  over 
my  father.  He  is  deeply  in  your  debt.  You  have 
lent  him  a  large  sum  of  money,  not  out  of  any  feeling 
of  friendship  or  generosity,  but  simply  because 
you  thought  you  could  force  me  to  marry  you.  Did 
any  one  ever  hear  of  such  a  situation  except  on 
the  stage  ?  I  know  that  if  I  do  not  change  my 
mind  you  will  visit  your  displeasure  upon  my  father, 
you  will  make  it  impossible  for  us  to  remain  at 

2»8 


AN   EASY  FALL  230, 

Haredale  Park  any  longer.  It  seems  a  strange  thing 
that  a  man  should  be  so  lost  to  all  sense  of  decency 
as  to  use  weapons  like  these  to  compel  a  girl  to 
marry  him.  But  it  hasn't  stopped  there.  My  father 
has  told  me  quite  plainly,  even  brutally,  that  unless 
I  make  this  sacrifice  I  am  no  longer  to  consider 
myself  as  his  daughter.  I  must  go  out  as  if  I  were 
a  mere  underling  to  earn  my  own  living.  Very 
well;  I  am  ready  to  do  so.  No,  I  don't  want 
words  from  either  of  you.  My  mind  is  made  up, 
and  there  is  no  more  to  be  said." 

May  turned  away,  and  left  the  library  with  her 
head  held  high  and  a  bright  colour  burning  her 
cheeks.  She  was  very  near  to  tears,  but  was  grateful 
for  the  pride  which  had  carried  her  through  this 
trying  interview  without  the  semblance  of  a  break- 
down. When  they  were  alone  Sir  George  turned 
to  his  companion. 

"  I  wouldn't  have  believed  it,"  he  said  apologeti- 
cally. "  I  never  expected  that  May  would  be  so 
disobedient.  But  you  must  make  allowance  for 
her.  I  daresay  in  time " 

"  Never,"  Copley  said  emphatically.  "  She  means 
every  word  she  says.  If  you  had  half  the  pluck 
and  grit  she  has  you  would  never  have  found  your- 
self in  your  present  position.  We  have  made  a 
mistake,  Haredale ;  we  have  gone  the  wrong  way 
to  work.  I  don't  blame  you  any  more  than  myself, 
but  you  may  depend  upon  it  that  your  daughter 


240  HARD   PRESSED 

will  never  be  my  wife.  She  will  keep  her  word  ; 
she  will  go  out  into  the  world,  if  necessary,  to  earn 
her  own  living,  and  I  shouldn't  wonder  if  she  made 
a  very  good  one.  I  must  put  up  with  my  disap- 
pointment, I  suppose.  I  would  give  half  I  possess 
to  be  able  to  say  that  your  daughter  was  my  wife. 
But  there  must  be  none  of  these  harsh  measures, 
Haredale.  Just  think  what  people  would  say ! 
We  should  both  be  boycotted.  The  thing  would 
get  into  the  papers  and  your  life  wouldn't  be  worth 
living.  We  must  find  some  other  way  out.  Now 
let  us  change  the  subject." 

Sir  George  was  perfectly  willing.  Despite  his 
selfish  obstinacy  the  interview  had  been  a  trial  to 
him,  and  he  was  exceedingly  glad  to  get  it  over. 

"  What  else  have  you  in  your  mind  ?  "  he  asked. 

"  Oh,  business,  of  course.  About  the  Blenheim 
colt  ?  I  am  taking  it  for  granted  that  you  will 
scratch  him.  I  don't  see  very  well  how  you 
can  back  out.  I  have  made  the  arrangements 
with  Absalom  &  Co.,  and  as  they  have  withdrawn 
their  action 'they  will  expect  you  to  do  your  part. 
Now  what  do  you  say  to  letting  the  colt  have  a  run 
in  the  Champion  Stakes  next  week  at  Mirst  Park  ? 
I  thought  it  would  be  a  very  good  way  of  getting 
out.  To  begin  with,  the  public  will  be  glad  to  see 
whether  or  not  their  fears  are  justified,  and  if  the 
horse  cuts  up  badly,  why,  then,  you  can  scratch 
him  at  once.  It  would  appear  absolutely  fair  and 


AN  EASY  FALL  241 

above  board  ;  in  fact,  it  will  be.  Or,  if  you  like,  you 
can  let  it  be  understood  that  the  horse  is  not  quite 
fit  and  that  you  still  have  hopes  of  getting  him  in 
fettle  for  the  Derby.  Either  seems  a  good  scheme.'* 

"  I  see,"  Sir  George  said  thoughtfully.  "  Yes, 
on  the  whole,  that  isn't  a  bad  idea  of  yours.  I 
shall  be  glad  to  get  it  over,  too.  I  hadn't  the 
slightest  intention  of  sending  the  colt  to  Mirst  Park, 
but  Raffle  reports  that  he  is  much  fitter  to-day,  so 
that  there  is  no  reason  why  I  should  not  adopt 
your  suggestion.  There  is  the  chance  that  people 
will  blame  me  for  taking  the  risk,  but,  at  the 
outside,  that  will  be  the  worst  of  it.  I  will  talk  it 
over  with  Raffle  in  the  morning,  and  let  you  know 
definitely." 

Shortly  after  breakfast  next  morning  Mallow 
came  into  the  library  to  hear  what  his  employer 
had  to  say.  The  trainer  would  hardly  believe  his 
ears  when  Sir  George  unfolded  his  plan.  He  had  a 
score  of  practical  objections  to  make,  but  Haredale 
put  them  all  impatiently  aside. 

"  Does  the  colt  belong  to  you  or  to  me  ?  " 
he  asked.  "  I  have  the  very  best  of  reasons  for  what 
I  am  going  to  do.  It  has  always  been  my  policy 
to  take  the  public  into  my  confidence.  I  want 
them  to  see  at  Mirst  Park  exactly  what  the  horse 
can  do.  If  they  like  to  go  on  backing  him  after 
that  it  will  be  their  own  look-out." 

"  But  that  isn't  the  point,  Sir  George,"  Mallow 

Q 


242  HARD  PRESSED 

insisted.  "  The  colt  is  coming  on  splendidly  again. 
It  would  be  madness  to  extend  him  just  now,  and 
if  he  breaks  down  badly,  don't  blame  me.  I'll  do 
my  best  between  now  and  the  day  of  the  race,  not 
because  I  want  to,  but  because  you  are  my  employer 
and  I  must  obey  orders." 

Mallow  refused  to  say  more.  He  closed  his 
mouth  obstinately  and  went  back  to  the  stables 
in  a  peculiar  frame  of  mind.  He  had  had 
twenty  years  of  turf  experience.  There  was  no 
cunning  wile  or  deep-laid  plot  that  was  not  familiar 
to  him  and  he  was  wondering  what  dodge  Sir 
George  was  up  to.  Hitherto  he  had  found  Sir 
George  Haredale  the  soul  of  honour  and  integrity, 
but  it  was  one  of  Mallow's  theories  that  every  man 
had  his  limits.  Besides,  no  one  knew  better  how 
critical  Sir  George's  financial  affairs  were.  Of  late, 
too,  Sir  George  had  been  hand  in  glove  with 
Raymond  Copley,  and  Mallow  hated  Copley  from 
the  bottom  of  his  heart.  In  his  own  phraseology, 
Copley  was  a  wrong  'un. 

Raffle  was  past  all  words  when,  in  the  fullness  of 
his  heart,  Mallow  confided  in  him.  Raffle  was  a 
keen  judge  of  such  matters.  He  sought  an  oppor- 
tunity later  in  the  afternoon  of  seeing  Fielden  and 
telling  him  what  had  happened. 

"  Is  Sir  George  mad  ?  "  Fielden  asked. 

"  I  don't  think  so,  sir,"  Raffle  replied.  "  I  don't 
like  it  at  all.  Depend  upon  it,  Sir  George  has  got 


AN   EASY   FALL  243 

into  a  mess  over  his  money  matters  and  has  thought 
out  some  scheme  for  putting  himself  right.  Call 
me  a  fool  if  that  there  Copley  isn't  at  the  bottom 
of  the  whole  thing.  He  and  Sir  George  have  been 
as  thick  as  thieves  lately.  They  say  you  can't  touch 
pitch  without  being  defiled.  And  since  those  two 
have  been  so  friendly,  Sir  George  is  quite  another 
man.  However,  unless  you  like  to  interfere,  I 
must  act  upon  instructions.  I  am  bound  to  do 
as  I  am  told." 

"  How  could  I  interfere  ?  "  Fielden  asked. 

"  Well,  sir,  the  colt  rightfully  belongs  to  you. 
He  is  as  much  yours  as  the  coat  on  your  back. 
I  can't  see  why  you  should  stand  quietly  by  and 
watch  the  ruin  of  one  of  the  finest  horses  that  ever 
trod  the  turf." 

"  I  had  forgotten  that,"  Fielden  said.  "  Per- 
haps, later,  I  may  have  something  to  say,  but  for 
the  present  that  must  be  our  secret,  Joe.  Mallow 
must  carry  out  his  instructions.  By  the  way,  what 
are  they  ?  " 

Something  like  a  grin  crossed  Raffle's  face. 

"  Oh,  we've  got  to  run  him,  sir,"  he  said.  "  We've 
got  to  run  him  and  do  our  best.  That  there  is 
the  faintest  chance  of  his  winning  Sir  George  does 
not  believe  for  a  moment.  Still,  if  you  refuse  to 
take  a  hand,  I  must  do  as  I  am  told,  that's  all. 
Perhaps  you  will  be  at  Mirst  Park  yourself  on 
the  first  day." 


244  HARD   PRESSED 

"  Of  course.  I  am  taking  one  or  two  of  our  crocks 
there.  But  I  must  be  off,  Joe." 

The  conversation  haunted  Fielden.  It  was  with 
him  night  and  day  till  the  first  day  of  the  Mirst 
Park  meeting  arrived.  He  had  seen  little  or  no- 
thing of  Phillips  for  some  time,  but  that  morning 
he  had  received  a  telegram  asking  him  to  meet 
Phillips  in  London  early  in  the  afternoon.  He 
gathered  from  the  message  that  Phillips  had  some- 
thing important  to  say  and  so  he  decided  to  go  to 
town.  It  would  be  easy  to  get  back  in  time  to 
see  the  end  of  the  afternoon's  sport.  None  of  the 
Haredale  Park  party  was  over.  Nor  had  Copley 
put  in  an  appearance,  and  Fielden  had  his  time 
almost  to  himself.  He  ran  against  Raffle  in  the 
paddock  half  an  hour  or  so  before  the  race  for  the 
Champion  Stakes.  There  was  a  queer  grin  on 
the  old  man's  face  as  he  suggested  that  Fielden 
should  go  and  have  a  look  at  the  horse.  They 
found  the  Blenheim  colt  in  his  stable  looking  in 
much  better  condition  than  Fielden  had  expected. 

"  He  looks  splendid,"  he  said. 

"  Ah,  he  is  a  bonny  colt,"  Raffle  exclaimed  with  a 
look  of  affection  in  his  eyes.  "  I  never  saw  a  better- 
tempered  horse  or  a  more  genuine  trier.  He'll 
go  every  inch  of  the  way,  and  I  shouldn't  be  sur- 
prised if — but  we  won't  talk  about  that." 

Raffle  refused  to  say  more.  Moreover,  he  had 
the  colt  to  look  to,  for  the  race  was  close  at 


AN   EASY  FALL  245 

hand  ;  so  Fielden  made  his  way  into  the  stand, 
where  he  could  command  a  good  view.  Not  that 
he  had  any  interest  in  the  race.  It  was  a  foregone 
conclusion  that  the  Blenheim  colt  would  be  beaten 
and  in  only  one  or  two  instances  did  he  cany  any 
public  money.  A  moment  or  two  later  Raffle  took 
up  a  position  by  Fielden's  side. 

"  The  colt  moves  well,"  said  Fielden,  looking 
through  his  glasses,  "  and  I  don't  see  much  signs 
of  staleness,  either.  Upon  my  word,  if  I  had  any 
money  to  spare  I'd  back  him  for  a  trifle  myself." 

"  You  might  do  worse,"  Raffle  chuckled. 


CHAPTER   XXXIII 

THE   FIVE   BASKETS 

'TT^HERE  was  the  usual  roar  from  the  ring  which 
A  began  to  die  down  as  the  horses  were  seen 
fidgeting  at  the  post.  Then  a  murmur  arose  from 
the  spectators,  and  the  dancing  kaleidoscope  of 
colours  broke  into  a  thin  stream  as  the  field  got 
away  to  a  capital  start.  They  came  along  all  in  a 
cluster  round  the  bend  of  the  course  till,  presently, 
there  was  a  hoarse  shout  from  the  onlookers  and 
the  name  of  the  Blenheim  colt  was  on  every  lip. 
The  horse  hung  for  a  moment  or  two  coming  up 
the  straight,  then  seemed  to  recover  himself  and, 
moving  along  with  a  beautifully  free  and  easy  stride, 
caught  the  leaders  a  dozen  lengths  from  home  and 
slipped  past  the  post  a  winner  by  a  short  head. 

"  What  did  I  tell  you  ?  "  Raffle  chuckled.  "  Well, 
they  can't  blame  me.  I  was  told  by  Sir  George  to 
do  the  best  I  could  with  the  horse  and-  I  carried  out 
my  instructions  to  the  letter.  No,  sir,  I  didn't 
back  him  myself.  I  wasn't  quite  sure.  Besides, 
Sir  George  wouldn't  have  liked  it.  Between  you  and 
me,  sir,  I  don't  think  he'll  be  altogether  pleased." 


THE  FIVE  BASKETS  247 

Fielden  asked  no  questions.  Whatever  suspi- 
cions Raffle  had  he  kept  to  himself.  Fielden  glanced 
at  his  watch  and  saw  he  would  just  have  time  to 
catch  a  train  to  town  and  join  Phillips  at  the  ren- 
dezvous in  Covent  Garden.  He  hurried  away  from 
the  course  and  caught  his  train  by  sheer  good  luck. 

He  wasn't  at  all  easy  in  his  mind.  He  was 
inclined  to  agree  with  Raffle  that  there  was 
more  than  met  the  eye  in  this  affair  and  that  Sir 
George  had  little  consideration  for  the  public  when 
he  decided  to  run  the  colt  at  Mirst  Park.  On  the 
face  of  it,  it  was  a  mad  thing  to  do  and  the  fact 
that  the  horse  had  won  rendered  Sir  George's 
policy  all  the  more  inexplicable.  There  was 
something  sinister,  too,  in  the  close  friendship  which 
had  sprung  up  between  Haredale  and  Copley.  That 
Copley  was  an  unscrupulous  blackguard  Fielden 
knew  very  well.  Possibly  this  knowledge  was  not 
shared  by  Sir  George,  but  there  was  no  getting 
over  the  fact  that  Haredale's  money  matters  were 
in  a  critical  state.  Better  men  than  Sir  George 
had  yielded  to  temptation. 

Fielden  was  still  debating  the  matter  when  he 
reached  town.  He  turned  up  at  the  hotel  in  Covent 
Garden  where  Phillips  was  awaiting  him,  it  wanting 
then  just  ten  minutes  to  three.  Phillips  was 
relieved  when  Fielden  came  in. 

"  I  thought  you  were  going  to  fail  me,"  he  said. 
"  I  began  to  think  that  you  had  missed  your  train." 


248  HARD  PRESSED 

"  I  very  nearly  lost  it,"  Fielden  laughed.  "  But 
why  do  you  want  me  ?  " 

"  We  shall  see  that  in  good  time,  sir,"  Phillips 
said.  "  In  about  ten  minutes  from  now  we  shall 
begin  operations.  There  is  just  time  to  smoke  a 
cigarette  before  we  start.  What  is  the  best  news 
from  Mirst  Park  ?  I  haven't  seen  a  paper  yet.  Was 
the  Blenheim  colt  beaten  very  disgracefully  ?  " 

"  He  wasn't  beaten  at  all,"  Fielden  said.  "  In 
fact,  he  won  with  considerable  ease.  There  was 
very  little  trace  of  staleness  about  him.  But  it  is 
early  to  talk  about  that.  We  must  wait  and  see 
what  old  Raffle  says  to-morrow.  I  should  not  be 
surprised  if  the  colt  has  done  himself  some  serious 
injury  to-day." 

Phillips  burst  into  a  hearty  laugh. 

"  What  a  joke  !  "  he  cried.  "  And  what  a  sell 
it  will  be  for  Sir  George  !  Oh,  I  know  a  thing  or  two, 
Mr.  Fielden.  I  haven't  been  moving  about  with  my 
eyes  shut  lately.  It  is  very  good  of  your  old  friend 
to  pull  out  his  horse  in  public,  for  the  benefit  of 
backers  generally,  but  the  man  who  will  be  most 
surprised  and  most  disappointed  at  the  result  of 
to-day's  race  will  be  Sir  George  himself.  If  there  is 
another  man  madder  than  Sir  George  it  will  be  that 
scoundrel  Copley." 

"  What  do  you  mean  ?  "     Fielden  asked. 

"  Never  mind,  sir.  The  least  said  soonest  mended. 
But  if  I  had  ten  thousand  pounds  I'd  cheerfully 


THE  FIVE   BASKETS  249 

back  my  opinion  to  the  last  penny  that  Sir  George 
never  hoped  for  and  never  expected  a  victory 
for  the  colt.  I'll  explain  all  in  very  good  time. 
Now  the  sooner  we  are  off  the  better.  We  are 
going  to  meet  a  gentleman  named  Chaffey  whom  I 
expect  to  see  in  a  few  minutes  not  very  far  from  the 
Post  Club  on  the  other  side  of  the  street.  You 
remember  telling  me  how  Chaffey  turned  up  at 
Seton  Manor,  and  what  he  said  when  he  was  drunk. 
I  am  glad  you  overheard  that,  because  it  solved  a 
point  that  has  been  puzzling  me  for  some  time.  I 
couldn't  for  the  life  of  me  make  out  how  it  was  that 
Jolly  &  Co.  managed  to  signal  the  result  of  the  three 
o'clock  race  at  Mirst  Park  into  the  smoking-room 
of  the  Post  Club.  I  doubt  if  I  ever  should  have 
found  out  had  not  Chaffey  gone  down  to  Seton 
Manor  and  hinted  that  if  he  couldn't  get  what 
he  wanted  somebody  else  might  have  his  job 
of  playing  with  the  fruit  baskets  in  Covent  Gar- 
den. I  saw  at  once  that  this  was  connected  with 
the  swindle,  but  for  the  life  of  me  I  couldn't  place 
it.  After  thinking  over  it  for  the  best  part  of  a 
week,  I  took  a  stroll  through  Covent  Garden 
market  and  finally  stood  in  front  of  the  Post  Club 
trying  to  piece  the  puzzle  together  in  my  mind. 
There  were  a  good  many  men  about  loading  and 
unloading  baskets,  and  I  saw  that  most  of  them 
carried  them  on  their  heads.  Why,  some  of  these 
porters  can  carry  as  many  as  eight  or  nine  bushel 


250  HARD   PRESSED 

baskets  on  their  heads.  While  I  stood  watching 
them  an  idea  flashed  into  my  mind.  Look  at  this 
copy  of  to-day's  Sportsman.  Turn  to  the  probable 
starters  in  the  three  o'clock  race,  and  you  will 
see  for  yourself  that  there  is  a  number  by  the 
side  of  every  horse.  Now  most  racing  men  carry 
a  Sportsman.  There  would  be  nothing  suspicious 
in  a  backer  pulling  the  Sportstnan  out  of  his  pocket 
and  consulting  it  at  any  moment.  He  might  do 
it  in  a  railway  carriage,  or  on  the  course,  or  in  a 
smoking-room,  and  it  wouldn't  attract  any  attention. 
Unless  I  am  greatly  mistaken,  I  have  found  the 
clue  to  the  means  by  which  Copley  &  Co.'s  con- 
federate has  the  result  of  a  race  at  Mirst  Park 
conveyed  to  him  into  the  smoking-room  of  the 
Post  Club  practically  before  the  horses  are  past 
the  post.  Then,  of  course,  he  can  make  what  bets 
he  likes.  He  is  perfectly  safe,  because  he  can't 
lose.  But,  come  along,  it  is  past  three  and  I  don't 
want  to  lose  this  chance  of  verifying  my  conclusions. 
Only  we  must  be  careful.  We  must  not  rouse 
Charley's  suspicions.  He  must  not  know  that 
we  are  even  watching  him.  Close  to  the  Post  Club 
there  is  a  shop  where  we  can  procure  some  cigars 
and  cigarettes  and  keep  our  eye  upon  what  is 
going  on.  Are  you  ready  ?  " 

Fielden  was  ready  and  willing,  for  his  curiosity 
was  aflame.  When  he  and  his  companion  reached 
Covent  Garden,  they  turned  into  a  cigar  shop  in  the 


THE  FIVE  BASKETS  251 

same  block  of  buildings  in  which  the  Post  Club 
was  situated.  A  good  many  customers  had  to  be 
attended  to,  so  that  it  was  excusable  to  stand 
inside  the  door  way  and  watch  what  was  taking 
place  on  the  other  side  of  the  road. 

The  market  was  practically  empty.  Business  had 
been  finished  for  the  day,  and  there  were  only  two 
or  three  casual  porters  loafing  about  waiting  on  the 
off-chance  for  an  hour's  work.  One  of  them  standing 
by  a  pile  of  baskets  with  hands  plunged  deeply  in 
his  pockets  and  a  pipe  in  his  mouth  was  Chaffey. 

"  No  mistake  about  him  ?  "  Phillips  asked. 

"  That's  the  man,"  Fielden  whispered.  "  I  could 
swear  to  that  expression  of  his  anywhere.  But 
what  is  he  doing  there  ?  He  doesn't  seem  to  be 
particularly  busy." 

"He  is  getting  well  paid  for  his  job,  anyway," 
Phillips  chuckled.  "As  it  is  not  likely  to  last  long 
he'll  be  gone  in  a  few  moments.  Have  you  the 
right  time  about  you  ?  What  do  you  make  it  ? 
Five  minutes  past  three  by  post  office  time  ?  The 
result  ought  to  be  here  at  any  moment.  Ah,  I 
thought  so.  Just  keep  your  eye  closely  upon 
Chaffey." 

In  his  excitement  Phillips  bent  over  and  grasped 
his  companion's  arm.  Fielden  saw  Chaffey  suddenly 
pull  himself  up  and  moisten  his  hands.  He  touched 
his  ragged  cap  as  if  in  response  to  a  distant  call,  then 
he  proceeded  to  fling  five  baskets  one  on  the  top 


252  HARD  PRESSED 

of  the  other  and  balance  them  on  his  head.  With 
this  pyramid  thus  arranged  he  walked  slowly 
across  the  market  and  disappeared  down  one  of  the 
corridors,  where  he  was  lost  to  sight. 

"  What  on  earth  does  it  mean  ?  "  Fielden  asked. 

"  Oh,  that's  the  signal,"  Phillips  explained.  "  The 
result  has  just  come  into  the  office  of  Jolly  &  Co. 
on  the  private  telephone  wire  from  The  Nook 
at  Mirst  Park.  The  supposed  Mr.  Jolly  stands  near 
the  window  with  the  telephone  receiver  to  his  ear 
ready  to  flash  the  signal  across  the  street.  Now 
you  understand  why  the  flex  of  the  telephone  is  so 
long.  Before  the  horse  is  past  the  post  the  man  on 
the  top  of  the  house  at  Mirst  Park  sends  the  num- 
ber, and  Jolly  &  Co.  signal  it  to  Chaffey.  Then 
Chaffey  simply  puts  five  or  other  number  of  baskets 
on  his  head,  and  the  confederate  in  the  Post  Club 
has  the  result.  Mind  you,  this  could  be  done  within 
five  seconds  of  the  race  being  settled.  Now  take 
this  Sportsman  and  I'll  eat  my  hat  if  the  winner  of 
the  three  o'clock  race  at  Mirst  Park  isn't  number 
five  on  the  programme." 

When  the  result  was  published  Phillips  proved 
to  be  correct. 


CHAPTER   XXXIV 
NO.  5 

THAT'S  it,"  Phillips  exclaimed.  "I  think 
we've  got  it  right  at  last.  We  know  by 
the  evening  paper  that  Dandy  won  the  Longhill 
Handicap,  which  was  the  three  o'clock  race  at 
Mirst  Park  to-day.  We  also  know  that  Dandy  is 
No.  5  on  the  Sportsman  list,  all  of  which  goes  to 
prove  our  case.  It  is  a  smart  bit  of  business,  isn't 
it?" 

"  Exceedingly  smart,"  Fielden  said,  "  and,  to 
some  extent,  risky.  Whoever  sends  the  message 
from  Mirst  Park  is  certainly  a  very  good  judge  of 
racing.  That  telephone  signal  must  have  been 
started  before  the  horse  was  past  the  post." 

"  Oh,  I  don't  know,"  Phillips  argued.  "  In  a 
very  tight  race  they  would  have  to  wait  to  see  what 
the  judge  had  to  say.  But  I  am  sure  that  either  of 
us  could  spot  the  winner  in  ninety-nine  cases  out 
of  a  hundred  within  fifty  lengths  of  the  post.  There- 
fore, the  result  would  be  known  in  London  and 
signalled  into  the  Post  Club  practically  at  the  same 
instant  that  the  race  was  over.  I  think  we  shall 
know  how  to  deal  with  Mr.  Copley  now." 

263 


254  HARD  PRESSED 

"  What  are  you  going  to  do  ?  "  Fielden  asked. 
'  That  depends  upon  circumstances.  I  don't 
mind  telling  you,  when  I  first  came  home  and  found 
Copley  in  an  apparently  good  position,  I  intended 
to  make  money  out  of  him.  I  didn't  feel  so  keen 
upon  revenge  as  I  used  to  feel.  It  would  have  been 
no  great  satisfaction  to  me  to  get  him  ten  years  on 
the  Breakwater,  and,  besides,  I  should  have  had  to 
go  out  to  the  Cape  and  waste  several  months  there. 
That  is  why  I  decided  to  hit  him  through  his  pocket. 
But  I  had  to  be  careful,  because  I  had  a  dangerous 
man  to  deal  with  and  I  didn't  relish  the  idea  of  a 
prosecution  for  blackmail.  That  is  one  of  the 
reasons  why  I  went  into  this  business.  When  I 
speak,  I  shall  lay  Copley  by  the  heels  without 
taking  any  trouble  and  probably  without  appear- 
ing in  the  matter.  I  shall  have  the  satisfaction  of 
sending  him  to  gaol,  and  I  shan't  have  to  go  out  of 
the  country  at  all." 

"  You  can't  make  anything  out  of  this,"  Fielden 
reminded  him. 

"  Of  course  not.  If  I  were  to  go  to  Copley  to- 
day and  tell  him  what  I  had  discovered  he  would 
give  me  a  few  thousand  pounds  to  keep  my  mouth 
shut  and,  sooner  or  later,  when  the  dodge  is  found 
out,  as  it  must  be,  I  should  figure  in  the  dock  with 
the  others.  It  is  too  dangerous  a  game.  Still,  when 
I  come  to  think  of  it,  sir,  you  are  somewhat  in  my 
debt." 


NO.  5  255 

"  Perhaps  I  am,"  Fielden  admitted.  "  But  I 
don't  see  what  special  favour  you  have  done  me " 

"  By  getting  rid  of  Raymond  Copley,"  Phillips 
smiled.  "  I  couldn't  have  served  you  better.  We 
shall  have  him  out  of  the  way  anyhow.  Later,  when 
you  find  yourself  in  a  good  position  again,  I  will  ask 
you  to  give  me  a  responsible  post  in  your  stables.  Oh, 
it  will  all  come  right,  sir.  You  ought  to  win  a  big 
stake  over  the  Derby,  if  you  play  your  cards  right, 
and  the  Blenheim  colt  will  be  worth  a  small  for- 
tune." 

"  What  have  I  to  do  with  the  horse  ?  "  Fielden 
asked. 

"  I  know  all  about  that,  sir,"  Phillips  said  cheer- 
fully. "  Never  mind  where  I  had  my  informa- 
tion. I  am  half  a  gipsy  and  my  mother's  tribe 
pick  up  news  from  all  sorts  of  unlikely  quarters.  A 
lad  who  used  to  be  in  your  stables  told  me  the  story. 
Nobody  else  would  have  believed  him  but  me.  I 
can  give  you  chapter  and  verse  if  you  like,  but  that 
would  only  be  wasting  time,  and  I  can  guess  what 
Copley's  game  is,  too.  See  if  I  don't  prove  to  be  a 
true  prophet.  The  Blenheim  colt  will  be  sure  to 
show  signs  of  to-day's  race  ;  indeed,  he  is  a  marvel 
if  he  does  any  good  during  the  rest  of  his  career  as 
a  three-year-old.  But,  then,  the  horse  is  a  marvel. 
Still,  very  few  of  us  know  that,  and  we  shall  be  able 
to  back  him  for  the  Derby  at  our  own  price  within 
the  next  few  days.  I  will  stick  on  the  horse  every 


256  HARD  PRESSED 

farthing  I  can  rake  together.  If  I  could  only  get  a 
couple  of  thousand  pounds  I  could  make  a  fortune. 
And  you  ought  to  make  a  fortune,  too.  Vou 
told  me  that  you  could  find  that  sum,  if  neces- 
sary, and  seeing  that  you  have  it  in  your  power  to 
prevent  the  Blenheim  colt  from  being  scratched 
you  will  be  flying  in  the  face  of  Providence  if  you 
turn  your  back  on  a  chance  like  this." 

Fielden  looked  at  his  companion  in  some  perplexity. 
He  was  astonished  to  find  that  Phillips  knew  so 
much.  Whence  did  the  man  derive  his  informa- 
tion ?  But  there  never  was  a  gipsy  yet  who  was 
not  fond  of  a  horse.  The  various  clans  roam  all 
over  the  country,  and  very  little  that  is  going  on 
escapes  their  sharp  black  eyes  and  there  is,  besides, 
a  sort  of  freemasonry  amongst  them.  But  it  mattered 
little  whence  Phillips's  information  came,  for  he  had 
certainly  got  it.  He  was  correct  in  every  detail,  too, 
and  for  the  first  time  Fielden  began  to  see  his  way. 
He  could  lay  his  hands  upon  a  couple  of  thousand 
pounds,  and  before  the  week  was  out  he  knew  that 
the  Blenheim  colt  would  be  at  any  price  in  the 
market  that  a  backer  needed.  Two  thousand  pounds 
in  itself  was  not  much  to  lose.  It  would  leave  him 
only  a  little  worse  off  than  he  was  at  present.  On 
the  other  hand,  it  might  bring  him  in  enough  to  start 
life  again  as  a  rich  man.  He  was  thinking  of  May 
Haredale  and  all  the  brilliant  possibilities  in  that 
quarter.  He  could  stop  this  vile  conspiracy.  It 


NO.  5  257 

was  for  him  to  say  what  the  future  of  the  Blenheim 
colt  was,  and  he  could  do  this  without  arousing  any 
gossip  or  giving  the  public  any  chance  for  spicy 
scandal.  When  the  right  moment  came  he  could  go 
to  Sir  George  and  inform  him  that  he  had  no  control 
whatever  over  the  colt.  Sir  George  might  bluster  and 
Copley  might  threaten,  but  their  threats  would  be 
in  vain.  In  the  long  run  Sir  George  would  benefit 
and  May  would  be  free  from  the  persecutions  of  a 
scoundrel  and  Fielden  would  be  in  a  position  to 
offer  her  a  luxurious  home.  He  had  learnt  his 
lesson,  too.  He  was  no  longer  the  careless  and 
extravagant  youth  who  had  left  England  more  or 
less  under  a  cloud. 

He  was  aroused  from  his  reverie  by  questions 
from  Phillips. 

"  Really,  I  beg  pardon,"  he  said,  "  but,  for  the 
moment,  I  was  thinking  about  something  else." 

"  Oh,  I  understand  that,"  Phillips  said  with  a  dry 
smile.  "  But  we  haven't  finished.  Our  case  is  not 
complete.  We  must  know  whether  there  is  any  big 
wagering  on  the  three  o'clock  race  this  afternoon  in 
the  Post  Club.  To  get  my  facts  I  have  brought 
Major  Garden  over  here  on  purpose.  I  have  paid 
his  expenses  to  and  from  Germany,  and  I  understand 
he  wishes  to  return  to-night,  if  possible.  Let's  go 
on  to  our  hotel  and  wait  for  him.  But  I  must  tell 
you  that  Garden  knows  nothing.  He  thinks  I  have 
some  deep  scheme  on  for  making  money  and  so  long 

R 


258  HARD  PRESSED 

as  I  pay  him  for  his  information  he  is  satisfied.  You 
had  better  leave  all  questions  to  me." 

Fielden  was  willing  enough  to  do  so.  To  some 
degree  he  was  not  pleased  to  be  mixed  up  in  this 
business,  though  it  gave  him  a  hold  over  Copley. 
They  had  hardly  reached  their  hotel  before  the 
Major  came  in.  He  made  no  objection  to  Phillips's 
offer  of  refreshment.  They  talked  for  a  few  minutes 
on  indifferent  topics  and  then  Phillips  went  to  the 
point. 

"  I  suppose  you've  got  my  cheque,"  he  said,  "  or 
you  would  not  have  been  here  to-day.  I  hope  it 
wasn't  inconvenient." 

"  It  was  devilish  inconvenient,"  the  Major  said 
in  his  florid  way.  "  But  as  you  are  willing  to  pay 
I  don't  mind.  Now  I  am  ready  to  give  you  all 
the  information  you  need.  Please  don't  be  long 
because  I  have  a  train  to  catch  before  five." 

"  Then  we  needn't  waste  more  time,"  Phillips 
said.  "  I  suppose  you  were  in  the  Post  Club  all 
the  afternoon." 

"  My  dear  sir,  I  lunched  there  and  I've  only 
just  come  away.  I  left  a  lot  of  people  there. 
Rickerby  was  there,  with  three  or  four  more  of  the 
gilded  plungers,  including  Selwyn.  As  to  the  first 
and  second  race " 

"  Oh,  hang  the  first  and  second  race,"  Phillips 
cried  impatiently.  "  It  is  the  three  o'clock  race 
at  Mirst  Park  that  I  am  interested  in.  Was  there 


NO.  5  259 

any  heavy  wagering  going  on,  and  can  you  tell  me 
who  was  betting  ?  That's  all  I  want  to  know." 

The  Major  went  into  detail.  There  had  been  a 
certain  amount  of  business  over  the  three  o'clock 
race,  but  sundry  heavy  wagers  had  been  deferred 
almost  to  the  last  moment.  A  large  amount  of 
chaff  had  gone  on  between  one  particular  plunger 
and  Selwyn  and  his  satellites  over  a  horse  called 
the  Dandy.  Dandy  had  been  a  rank  outsider  and 
had  only  cropped  up  in  the  betting  at  the  eleventh 
hour,  so  to  speak.  A  quarter  of  an  hour  before  the 
race  there  had  been  no  takers.  Then  the  argument 
grew  more  heated  and  finally  Selwyn  had  laid 
several  wagers  against  Dandy  at  a  thousand  to 
thirty.  All  this  had  taken  place,  so  far  as  the 
Major  could  guess,  whilst  the  race  was  in  progress. 
There  was  something  like  consternation  amongst 
the  bookmakers  when  the  news  came  that  Dandy 
had  won  the  Longhill  Handicap  by  three  lengths. 
Altogether  it  had  been  a  dramatic  afternoon. 

"  And  that's  about  all  I  can  tell  you,"  the  Major 
concluded.  "  If  you  want  me  again,  give  me  more 
notice,  please.  I  really  must  be  going." 

He  took  up  his  hat  and  swaggered  from  the  room, 
leaving  Phillips  apparently  very  well  pleased. 

"Our  case  is  complete," he  said  " The  rest  is  in 
your  hands." 


CHAPTER    XXXV 

A   POISONOUS  ATMOSPHERE 

IT  is  impossible  for  a  man  to  change  the  habits  of 
a  lifetime,  especially  when  he  has  reached  the 
age  to  which  Sir  George  Haredale  had  attained.  He 
tried  hard  to  justify  himself  in  his  present  embroil- 
ment. He  juggled  with  his  conscience,  but  the 
ways  of  the  transgressor  are  hard,  and  the  master 
of  Haredale  Park  was  having  anything  but  a  good 
time.  He  knew  that  he  was  doing  wrong,  that  he 
was  about  to  commit  something  in  the  shape  of  a 
crime.  When  a  man  has  pledged  himself  to  this 
kind  of  thing,  it  is  marvellous  how  circumstances 
combine  to  help  him. 

On  the  face  of  it  things  were  not  going  well.  The 
victory  of  the  Blenheim  colt  in  the  Champion 
Stakes  was  a  blow  to  him.  He  had  expected  the 
colt  to  lose,  thereby  giving  him  occasion  to  scratch  it. 
If  this  had  turned  out  as  he  had  expected,  he  would 
have  been  the  object  of  popular  sympathy  and  his 
reputation  as  a  sportsman  and  an  honourable  man 
would  have  been  enhanced.  But  to  his  surprise  and 

vexation,  the  colt  had  proved  his  sterling  worth 

in 


A  POISONOUS  ATMOSPHERE         261 

and  within  the  last  few  hours  the  public  had  estab- 
lished him  more  firmly  than  ever  in  the  betting. 
There  was  always  the  chance,  of  course,  that  the 
race  would  leave  its  mark  on  the  colt  and  that  some 
ill  effects  might  supervene,  in  which  case  the 
original  programme  could  be  carried  out  without 
exciting  the  suspicions  of  the  many-headed. 

This  was  precisely  what  did  happen.  Three  days 
later  Mallow  came  into  his  employer's  study  with  a 
long  face  and  the  information  that  the  colt's  lack  of 
condition  was  rather  more  manifest  than  before. 
For  once  in  a  way  Mallow  was  not  polite  and  forgot 
the  respect  due  to  his  master. 

"  It's  just  as  I  told  you,  Sir  George,"  he  exclaimed. 
"  The  colt's  been  ruined.  I  don't  say  it  isn't  possible 
to  get  him  fit  in  time  for  the  Derby,  because  he's  a 
wonder.  But  if  you  had  tried  to  ruin  the  horse  you 
couldn't  have  gone  about  it  in  a  better  way.  I  can 
almost  cry  when  I  think  of  it." 

"  You  are  forgetting  yourself,  Mallow,"  Sir  George 
said. 

"  Oh,  maybe  I  am,  sir,  maybe  I  am.  I  have 
been  dealing  with  fools  and  knaves  all  my  lifetime, 
and  I  ought  to  be  accustomed  to  them  by  now.  I 
feel  as  if  I  had  been  a  party  to  cutting  that  colt's 
throat.  You  don't  deserve  to  have  a  horse  like  that 
in  your  stable  ;  you  don't  deserve  to  win  another 
race  as  long  as  you  live." 

Sir  George  was  vastly  indignant.     He  wanted  to 


262  HARD  PRESSED 

know  if  Mallow  realized  whom  he  was  talking  to. 
But  Mallow  was  in  no  mood  for  politeness  and  told 
his  employer  a  few  home  truths.  He  sketched 
graphically  what  the  better-class  sportsmen  would 
say  when  they  realized  what  had  happened.  It  was 
useless  to  be  angry,  all  the  more  so  because  he 
knew  that  every  word  Mallow  spoke  was  true. 
On  the  spur  of  the  moment  he  had  intended  to 
give  Mallow  instructions  to  have  the  horse  struck 
out  of  all  his  three-year  engagements,  but  looking 
his  irate  servant  in  the  face  he  lacked  the  pluck  to 
do  so.  So  he  proceeded  to  compromise. 

"  At  the  worst,"  he  said  with  some  dignity,  "  it 
was  only  an  error  in  judgment.  If  you  can 
get  the  colt  fit  again  before  the  Derby  the  public 
will  have  no  grievance  against  me.  They  will  win 
their  money  and  that's. all  they  care  about." 

Mallow  appeared  to  be  somewhat  mollified. 
"  Then  things  are  to  go  on  as  they  are,  Sir  George  ?  " 
he  asked.     "  There  has  been  a  lot  of  mischief  done, 
but  it  is  not  yet  too  late.     But  it  is  no  use  crying 
over  spilt  milk." 

This  was  going  rather  too  far  and  too  fast.  Sir 
George's  fears  were  aroused  again. 

"  Your  instructions  are  not  quite  indefinite,"  he 
corrected.  "  We  will  let  the  matter  stand  over  for 
a  week.  At  the  end  of  that  time  we  will  see  the 
colt's  condition.  If  there  is  no  material  change 
for  the  better,  then  I  must  scratch  him. " 


A  POISONOUS  ATMOSPHERE         263 

With  this  perforce  Mallow  had  to  remain 
content  and  went  out  muttering  to  himself.  He 
wanted  to  know  what  Sir  George  was  driving  at 
and  what  this  new  policy  meant.  The  trainer  had 
a  shrewd  idea,  though  he  hardly  dared  to  whisper 
it  even  to  himself.  Still,  a  week  was  a  week,  and 
much  might  be  done  in  that  time.  Besides,  if 
necessary,  he  knew  Raffle  had  a  great  card  to 
play.  For  some  reason  or  other  Sir  George  wanted 
the  colt  scratched  and  Mallow  had  no  difficulty  in 
laying  this  somewhat  shady  diplomacy  on  the 
shoulders  of  Raymond  Copley. 

Meanwhile,  the  week  drifted  on  and  things  re- 
mained in  much  the  same  position  at  Haredale 
Park.  Sir  George  had  said  nothing  more  to  his 
daughter,  neither  had  she  alluded  to  the  detestable 
topic.  But  she  was  ready  to  take  a  step  which 
would  have  considerably  alarmed  her  father  had 
he  known  of  it.  Copley  was  away  on  business.  He 
came  back  on  Saturday  and  made  his  way  across 
to  Haredale  Park  after  dinner.  In  the  drawing- 
room  he  was  coldly  informed  that  Sir  George  was  in 
the  library.  He  appeared  to  take  this  curt  dismissal 
in  good  part  and  went  off  in  search  of  Sir  George 
whom  he  found  sitting  moodily  over  the  fire. 

"  Where  have  you  been  lately  ?  "  the  Baronet 
asked. 

"  Oh,  my  dear  sir,"  Copley  explained,  "  you 
forget  that  I  have  my  business  to  look  after.  I 


264  HARD   PRESSED 

have  been  exceedingly  busy.  When  things  take  a 
turn  for  the  better  that  is  the  time  to  follow  your 
fortune  closely.  During  the  last  few  days  I  have 
been  making  money  with  both  hands." 

It  appeared  to  be  no  idle  boast,  for  Copley  was 
looking  less  gloomy  than  usual.  Fortune  was 
smiling  upon  him  again.  He  and  his  confederates 
had  had  a  rare  haul  over  the  Longhill  Handicap. 
They  were  in  funds,  and  unless  things  went  very 
wrong  indeed  by  the  time  the  Derby  was  over  they 
would  be  all  rich  men.  But  Sir  George  guessed 
nothing  of  this.  He  was  only  sorry  to  think  that 
May  should  be  so  obstinate  in  refusing  to  take  her 
share  in  the  spending-  of  these  phenomenal  riches. 

"  I  am  exceedingly  glad  to  hear  it,"  he  said. 

"  Oh,  thank  you  very  much.  You  see,  fortune 
cuts  all  round.  What's  good  for  me  is  good  for  you. 
In  the  first  place,  you  can  make  your  mind  easy 
about  that  affair  of  Absalom  &  Co.,  because  they 
won't  trouble  you  any  more.  After  the  Derby  we 
need  not  worry  ourselves  as  to  money  matters. 
That  brings  me  to  my  reason  for  coming  here  this 
evening.  I  understand  that  the  colt  has  broken 
down  permanently.  From  what  I  see  in  the 
papers  there  is  not  the  remotest  chance  of  his 
winning  a  race  as  a  three-year  old." 

"  It  looks  like  it,"  Sir  George  answered.  "  At 
the  same  time,  Mallow  doesn't  share  my  opinion. 
He  is  very  obstinate." 


A  POISONOUS  ATMOSPHERE         265 

"  Oh,  what  the  devil  does  it  matter  what  he  says 
or  thinks  ?  "  Copley  said  impatiently.  "He  is 
only  a  servant.  Surely  you  can  do  what  you 
like  with  your  own.  Besides,  in  this  matter  the 
opinion  of  the  whole  racing  world  will  sustain 
you.  At  the  worst  people  can  only  say  that 
you  have  made  an  error  in  judgment.  The  Press 
recognizes  that  you  have  acted  like  a  good  fellow 
and  a  sportsman  in  running  this  risk  simply  with 
the  object  of  taking  the  public  into  your  con- 
fidence. They  don't  know,  of  course,  that  you  don't 
want  the  horse  to  win,  nor  what  a  surprise  the  Mirst 
Park  victory  was  to  you.  And  on  the  top  of  that 
they  tumble  over  one  another  to  back  the  colt,  and 
if  he  doesn't  start  at  all  they  are  to  blame.  Still, 
it  has  been  a  good  thing  for  me.  I  have  laid  against 
your  animal  thick  and  thin  and  after  the  Derby  is 
over  I  shan't  need  to  do  any  more  work." 

Sir  George  made  no  reply.  He  sat  gazing 
dubiously  into  the  fire.  Looking  back  at  the 
course  of  events,  he  could  hardly  see  how  he  had 
got  himself  into  this  mess.  He  ought  to  have 
refused  to  listen  to  Copley,  and  should  have  sup- 
ported the  opinion  of  such  a  sound  judge  as  Raffle. 
Besides,  he  had  never  won  a  Derby  in  his  racing 
career,  and  it  seemed  to  him  that  he  was  wasting  a 
splendid  chance.  But  it  was  too  late  to  repent,  too 
late  to  draw  back,  and  all  Sir  George  could  hope 
was  that  no  one  would  ever  have  an  inkling  of  his 


266  HARD  PRESSED 

shame.  He  did  not  know,  neither  did  Copley, 
that  May  was  standing  in  the  doorway.  She  had 
come  in  for  something  she  required.  Her  evening 
shoes  had  made  no  sound  on  the  thick  carpets,  and 
she  had  heard  every  word  that  was  said.  Not 
*hat  she  intended  to  play  the  eavesdropper.  But 
one  remark  of  Copley's  had  fascinated  her  and 
she  stood  as  if  rooted  to  the  spot. 

She  knew  her  ears  did  not  deceive  her.  She 
had  been  brought  up  all  her  life  in  an  atmosphere 
of  racing.  She  knew  almost  as  much  about  it  as 
Raffle  himself.  The  thing  was  plain  and  a  wave 
of  shame  and  humiliation  rushed  over  the  girl  as 
she  stood  there  drinking  in  every  word. 

She  could  not  blind  herself  to  the  truth.  She 
could  not  get  away  from  the  fact  that  her  father 
was  a  conscious  participant  in  a  disgraceful 
action.  It  mattered  little  that  her  father  was  in 
Copley's  hands,  or  that  Copley  had  suggested 
the  whole  thing.  The  shock  was  none  the  less 
painful.  It  seemed  incredible  that  a  man  in 
Sir  George's  position  should  stoop  so  low  as  this. 
These  plots  had  happened  before  and  no  one  had 
spoken  of  them  with  greater  contempt  than  had 
Sir  George.  Now  was  he  self-confessed  as  a  principal 
in  one  of  the  shadiest  of  them  all. 

May  stole  away.  For  a  moment  she  had  been 
on  the  point  of  an  outburst.  But  perhaps  it  would 
be  better  to  wait  and  speak  to  her  father  quietly 


A  POISONOUS  ATMOSPHERE         267 

later,  to  try  to  find  some  means  of  averting  this 
dreadful  dishonour. 

"  I  cannot  stay  here,"  she  murmured.  "  The 
atmosphere  poisons  me.  I  must  get  away,  I  must 
get  away." 


CHAPTER    XXXVI 

FIELDEN   INTERVENES 

MAY  went  quietly  back  to  the  drawing-room. 
There  was  nothing  in  her  face  to  indicate 
what  she  was  suffering.  For  a  time  she  sat  gazing 
into  the  fire,  watching  Alice  Garden  who  sat  oppo- 
site her  engrossed  in  a  book.  At  the  end  of  half 
an  hour  May  had  made  up  her  mind  what  to  do, 
and  when  Alice  laid  her  volume  aside,  she  began 
to  speak. 

"  How  long  is  your  father  likely  to  be  away  ?  " 
she  asked. 

"  Oh,  for  two  months,  I  suppose,"  Alice  said. 
"  But  I  may  find  him  at  home  when  I  go  back  next 
week." 

"  T  hope  not,"  May  answered,  "  because  I  have  a 
plan  to  suggest  to  you.  I  wonder  if  you  would  mind 
my  coming  with  you  ?  I  suppose  you  could  get 
me  a  bedroom  in  your  house.  I  should  like  to  pay 
for  myself.  Could  it  be  managed,  do  you  think  ?  " 

"It  would  be  delightful,"  Alice  cried.  "But 
why  do  you  want  to  leave  this  beautiful  house  ? 
What  will  Sir  George  say  when  he  hears  of  it  ?  " 


FIELDEN   INTERVENES  269 

"  He  mustn't  hear  it,"  May  whispered.  "  We 
have  always  been  very  good  friends,  Alice,  and  you 
can  help  me  now  if  you  will.  I  am  going  to  confide 
in  you  and  you  must  not  whisper  a  word  of  it  to  a 
soul.  So  long  as  your  father  is  away  I  shall  be  safe 
with  you,  and  as  he  may  not  be  back  for  some  weeks 
I  will  have  time  to  turn-round.  I  must  go  away,  I 
cannot  stay  here  any  longer.  Something  has  hap- 
pened which  compels  me  to  get  my  own  living." 

"  Oh,  impossible  !  "  Alice  cried. 

"  My  dear,  don't  you  know  that  it  is  the  unex- 
pected that  happens  ?  Well,  in  my  case,  it  has- 
If  anybody  had  told  me  this  a  couple  of  months 
ago  I  should  have  laughed  the  idea  to  scorn.  It 
would  have  been  incredible  that  my  father  should 
threaten  to  turn  me  out  of  the  house.  Hitherto 
we  have  been  the  best  of  friends,  and  I  have  re- 
garded him  as  one  of  the  most  upright  and  most 
honourable  of  men.  I  have  always  prided  myself 
upon  the  fact  that  nothing  could  rob  us  of  our  good 
name  ;  but  I  was  mistaken,  Alice.  Actually  this  place 
does  not  belong  to  us  at  all.  My  father  is  a  mere 
lodger,  dependent  upon  the  good  will  of  Mr.  Raymond 
Copley,  who  can  turn  us  out  at  any  moment.  More- 
over, he  has  compelled  my  father  to  do  a  thing 
that  I  blush  to  mention.  Do  you  know  why  Mr- 
Copley  has  brought  all  this  about  ?  " 

"  I  think  I  can  guess,"  Alice  said.  "  He  is 
anxious  to  marry  you.  Am  I  not  right  ?  " 


270  HARD  PRESSED 

"  You  have  guessed  it,"  May  exclaimed.  "  You 
have  saved  me  the  humiliation  of  telling  you  that. 
Mr.  Copley  can't  say  he  has  bought  me.  But  he 
has  bought  my  father,  and  it  comes  to  this,  that 
unless  I  consent  to  be  Raymond  Copley's  wife  I  am 
to  consider  this  my  home  no  longer.  These  were 
my  father's  very  words.  I  suppose  he  chose  them 
because  they  sounded  best.  But  it  is  as  if  he  had 
told  me  to  go.  I  couldn't  marry  that  man ; 
nothing  would  induce  me  to  do  so.  There  is 
worse  behind — there  is  a  conspiracy  on  foot  which  I 
overheard  in  the  library  just  now.  You  must  not 
ask  me  to  tell  you  what  it  is.  My  tongue  would 
refuse  to  tell  it.  Well,  it  is  the  last  straw.  I 
couldn't  be  more  miserable  than  I  have  been  the 
last  week  or  so.  I  cannot  stay  any  longer.  I  have 
little  or  no  money,  but  I  have  my  mother's  jewels 
which  ought  to  fetch  at  least  a  thousand  pounds. 
I  propose  to  go  to  London  and  look  about  for  some- 
thing to  do.  I  want  to  come  to  you  because  we  are 
such  friends,  and  because  I  know  you  will  sympathize 
with  me.  We  can  live  very  cheaply  together  and 
I  will  pay  you  for  all  I  have,  and  "before  your  father 
returns  I  shall  probably  have  found  work.  You 
won't  refuse,  will  you  ?  " 

"  How  can  you  think  such  a  thing  ?  "  Alice  said 
reproachfully.  "  There  is  nothing  I  would  not  do 
for  you,  and  I  know  we  shall  be  perfectly  happy 
together.  It  would  be  worse  than  death  to  marry 


FIELDEN   INTERVENES  271 

a  man  like  Mr.  Copley.  I  don't  know  why  it  is, 
but  from  the  very  first  moment  I  saw  him  I  hated 
him.  I  think  he  has  such  a  cruel  face.  His  mouth 
is  so  hard  and  his  eyes  are  dreadful.  But  when  do 
you  want  to  go  ?  When  will  you  be  ready  to 
start  ?  " 

"  Didn't  you  say  you  must  be  back  in  town  on 
Tuesday  ?  Didn't  you  say  something  about  your 
pupils  ?  Well,  suppose  you  go  up  on  that  day  and 
I  follow  you  on  Wednesday.  It  would  arouse, 
suspicion  for  us  both  to  go  at  the  same  tune,  and 
indeed  I  would  ask  you  to  stay  longer  only  I  can't 
breathe  here.  Knowing  what  I  do,  it  is  hateful  to 
have  to  sit  down  to  the  same  table  with  my  father. 
I  daresay  I  shall  come  to  forgive  him  in  time,  but 
for  the  present  it  is  beyond  my  strength.  Mr. 
Copley  is  always  about  the  house.  Do  try  to 
make  it  Tuesday  if  you  can.  It  seems  so  horrid  of 
me " 

Alice  rose  from  her  seat  and  kissed  the  speaker 
affectionately. 

"  I  won't  hear  another  word,"  she  said.  "  It  is 
not  in  the  least  horrid  of  you.  I  will  gladly  do 
all  I  can  to  help  you." 

Tuesday  came  at  length  and  Alice  Garden  went 
away,  leaving  May  to  her  own  melancholy  thoughts. 
She  had  not  seen  Harry  Fielden  for  a  few  days 
and  was  thankful  he  had  not  been  near  her.  It 
would  be  hard  parting  from  him.  It  would  be 


272  HARD  PRESSED 

difficult  to  say  good-bye  without  betraying  herself 
or  giving  him  some  inkling  of  what  had  happened. 
After  lunch  on  Wednesday  she  stole  out  of  the  house 
and  walked  to  the  station.  She  had  sent  on  her 
luggage  by  Alice  Garden  the  day  before,  so  that 
when  she  left  for  London  it  might  seem  that  she 
was  only  going  for  a  casual  visit.  She  would  not 
mind  the  new  life,  so  she  thought,  and  she  hardened 
her  heart  as  she  looked  out  of  the  carriage  window. 
But,  all  the  same,  she  was  glad  to  find  herseH 
alone,  for  the  tears  would  come  and  the  old  familial 
landscape  grew  dim  and  blurred. 

What  would  they  say,  she  wondered,  when  they 
knew.  What  would  Harry  Fielden  think  ?  But, 
at  that  very  moment,  Harry  Fielden  had  some- 
thing else  to  occupy  his  attention.  He  was  walking 
across  the  Downs  towards  Haredale  Park  with  Raffle, 
and  the  latter  was  speaking  his  mind  very  freely. 

"  I  won't  be  quiet,  sir,  and  I  won't  keep  my  mouth 
shut,"  he  said.  "  I  tell  you,  Mr.  Harry,  it  is  a  foul 
conspiracy  and  there  are  no  two  ways  about  it. 
Sir  George  gave  Mallow  a  week  to  try  to  pull  the  colt 
round,  and  he  says,  says  he,  '  Mallow,  if  he's  no 
better  by  that  time,  he's  to  be  scratched.'  Those 
were  the  instructions  and  Sir  George  confirmed  them 
this  morning.  Now  I  am  not  going  to  say  that 
the  colt  is  much  better,  but  I  am  prepared  to  pledge 
my  reputation,  and  it  is  worth  something,  that  I'll 
get  him  fit  in  a  month.  The  whole  thing  has  been 


FIELDEN   INTERVENES  273 

arranged  between  Sir  George  and  that  man  Copley, 
so  that  the  horse  can  be  scratched  for  the  Derby. 
The  public  are  to  believe  that  Sir  George  has  been 
unfortunate,  but  has  played  the  game  like  a  gentle- 
man and  a  sportsman.  Well,  you  may  have  what 
opinion  you  like,  but  I  know  better.  Mind  you,  if  I 
didn't  know  what  I  know  I  should  have  to  put  up  with 
it  and  hold  my  tongue,  because  I  am  only  a  servant 
and  no  one  can  blame  me  for  obeying  my  orders. 
But  I  have  been  making  inquiries,  and  I  find  that 
Copley  and  his  gang  have  been  laying  thick  and  thin 
against  the  colt  for  the  past  week.  Do  you  mean 
to  tell  me  they  could  know  the  colt  would  be 
scratched  if  they  hadn't  got  Sir  George  in  their 
power  ?  " 

"  What  do  you  want  me  to  do  ?"  Fielden  asked. 

A  bitter  smile  crossed  the  old  man's  face. 

"  I  shouldn't  have  thought  you'd  ask  what  you 
were  to  do,  sir,"  he  said.  "  But  I'm  not  going  to 
stand  it.  I'm  not  going  to  sit  down  quietly  and 
see  this  game  going  on.  I  daresay  you  think  it 
will  be  bad  for  Miss  May  if  this  thing  comes  out. 
But  bless  you  !  if  you  go  the  right  way  to  work 
nothing  will  leak  out.  The  colt  mustn't  be 
scratched.  You  leave  him  where  he  is  and  he's 
certain  to  win  the  Derby.  You  are  the  very  man 
to  step  in  and  stop  the  game.  Let  Sir  George  know 
what  your  power  is.  Let  Copley  see  that  he's  got 
a  gentleman  to  deal  with.  It  will  ruin  Copley  and 

s 


274  HARD  PRESSED 

his  mob,  but  that  doesn't  matter.  They  are  a  fine 
set  of  thieves,  if  you  ask  me,  sir,  and  I  shouldn't 
mind  telling  Copley  so.  Now  I  would  like  to  hear 
your  opinion." 

Fielden  had  no  particular  opinion  to  offer.  At 
the  same  time,  he  had  information  in  his  possession 
which  would  have  astonished  Raffle  if  he  could  only 
have  seen  into  the  mind  of  his  old  master.  Press- 
ing as  the  matter  was,  it  was  not  possible  to  act  on 
the  spur  of  the  moment,  and  Fielden  contented  him- 
self by  saying  he  would  think  over  the  matter. 

"  But  you  can't  do  it,  sir,"  Raffle  protested. 
"  There's  no  time  to  waste  like  that.  The  colt  has 
to  be  scratched  and  maybe  a  telegram's  already 
gone  to  London  to  that  effect.  The  mischief  may 
be  done." 

"  By  Jove,  I  hadn't  thought  of  that,"  Fielden 
exclaimed.  "  All  right,  Joe,  it  will  be  a  most  un- 
pleasant piece  of  business,  but  I  see  now  that  it  must 
not  be  put  off  any  longer.  I'll  go  straight  over  to 
Haredale  Park  and  see  Sir  George  at  once." 

Sir  George  was  in  his  library.  He  had  given 
instructions  to  the  butler  to  deny  him  to  every  one. 
In  fact,  he  was  seated  by  the  library  fire  reading  a 
letter  which  May  had  left  for  him.  She  had  not 
minced  matters.  She  had  gone  away  for  reasons 
well  known  to  him,  she  said,  and  her  address  mat- 
tered nothing  to  anybody.  Sir  George  was  look- 
ing particularly  old  and  grey  and  troubled  as  Fielden 


FIELDEN   INTERVENES  275 

thrust  his  way  past  the  butler  and  entered  the  library. 
Sir  George's  manner  was  not  encouraging,  and  he 
curtly  demanded  to  know  the  meaning  of  this 
intrusion. 

"  I  am  sorry,"  Fielden  said,  "  but  my  business 
would  not  wait.  Am  I  to  understand  that  you  have 
struck  the  Blenheim  colt  out  of  the  Derby  ?  Is  it 
done  ?  " 

"  It's  not  done  yet,"  Sir  George  said  indignantly, 
"  but  it  will  be  done  this  afternoon.  Perhaps  you 
have  some  objection  to  make.  Perhaps  you  would 
like  to  forbid  it  ?  " 

"  I  do  and  must,"  Fielden  said  quietly.  "  The 
horse  does  not  belong  to  you  at  all.  He  happens 
to  be  mine." 


CHAPTER   XXXVII 

BETWEEN  TWO   FIRES 

SIR  GEORGE  HAREDALE  pulled  himself  to- 
gether. 

"  You  will  excuse  me,"  he  said,  "  but  I  don't 
follow  you.  I  have  had  much  trouble  and  worry 
lately  and  I  am  not  myself  this  morning.  Did 
you  say  that  the  Blenheim  colt  belonged  to  you? 
If  this  is  a  joke  I  cannot  say  I  admire  it." 

"  I  assure  you  I  was  never  more  serious  in  my 
life,  Sir  George,"  Fielden  protested.  "  I  know  what 
I  say  sounds  extraordinary.  The  Blenheim  colt 
belongs  to  me ;  it  was  never  yours  at  all ;  in 
fact,  it  is  not  even  entered  in  this  year's  Derby  in 
your  name.  I  have  been  making  inquiries,  and 
this  is  a  literal  fact.  I  have  derived  my  information 
from  headquarters.  The  conditions,  monetary  and 
otherwise,  have  been  complied  with ' 

"  I  don't  doubt  it  for  a  moment,"  Sir  George 
exclaimed.  "  But  what  has  all  this  to  do  with 
me  ?  When  you  went  abroad  I  bought  every 
animal  you  possessed." 

f  I  don't  think  so,   Sir  George.    One  or  two 

•N 


BETWEEN   TWO  FIRES  277 

were  kept  back  ;  Raffle  did  so  on  his  own  respon- 
sibility. My  solicitors  have  the  papers  and  receipts, 
so  that  it  is  possible  to  earmark  your  exact  pur- 
chases. I  may  tell  you,  however,  that  until  I  came 
here,  I  had  no  notion  of  this  singular  business. 
It  appears  that  I  forgot  to  advise  my  bankers  before 
I  left  England  and  that,  even  up  to  the  present 
moment,  they  are  meeting  my  racing  obligations 
out  of  the  surplus  moneys  paid  into  my  account. 
Now  according  to  what  Raffle  says,  your  colt,  I 
mean  your  entry  for  this  year's  Derby,  was  disposed 
of  long  ago.  My  colt  Raffle  kept  for  sentimental 
reasons  and,  for  the  last  two  years,  he  has  been 
trained  with  your  horses.  Raffle  has  always 
declared  that  some  day  he  would  do  something 
great  with  one  of  the  Blenheim  blood.  When  he 
found  out  how  good  a  thing  he  had  he  was 
almost  frightened.  He  was  on  the  point  of  con- 
fessing to  you  several  times,  but  when  he  heard 
that  I  was  dead  he  decided  to  let  matters  slide. 
Raffle  has  a  vein  of  sentiment  in  his  nature  and,  I 
suppose,  the  romance  of  the  thing  appealed  to  him. 
Besides,  he  knew  that  you  were  a  friend  of  mine 
and  that  May  was  more  than  a  friend.  He  is  very 
fond  of  your  daughter,  hi  which  he  shows  his  good 
taste.  So  the  foolish  old  man  resolved  to  keep 
the  secret  to  himself.  He  had  transferred  his 
allegiance  to  you  and  yours  and  had  set  his  heart 
upon  restoring  your  family  fortunes ;  in  reality 


278  HARD   PRESSED 

he  was  giving  May  a  comfortable  and  settled 
future.  He  didn't  want  the  money  for  himself. 
He  was  satisfied  to  feel  that  he  was  repaying 
the  kindness  he  had  had  at  your  hands.  From 
a  lofty  moral  point  of  view  the  thing  may  be 
open  to  censure,  but  what  I  am  able  to  prove  I 
say  through  my  lawyers,  through  my  bankers, 
through  Raffle  himself,  and  through  other  witnesses 
whom  we  can  produce.  Of  course  I  am  in  your 
debt  for  training  expenses,  but  that,  at  the  moment, 
is  beside  the  point.  The  point  is  that  the  Blenheim 
colt  which,  bar  accidents,  is  certain  to  win  this 

year's  Derby,  as  you  are  perfectly  well  aware 
f» 

"  I  am  not  so  sure  of  that,"  Sir  George  inter- 
rupted. "  If  I  am  to  believe  what  Raffle  says — 

"  We  will  come  to  that,"  Fielden  went  on.  "  I 
think  otherwise.  The  horse  has  been  knocked 
about  in  the  betting  a  good  deal  lately  and  I  am 
told  that  he  has  gone  to  an  outside  price  again.  I 
have  managed  to  scrape  together  about  two  thou- 
sand pounds,  every  penny  of  which  I  have  put  upon 
the  colt.  I  had  made  up  my  mind  never  to  make 
another  bet,  but  this  opportunity  is  too  good  to  be 
lost.  If  this  horse  wins  the  Derby,  then  I  shall  be 
a  rich  man  again.  If  that  good  fortune  is  in  store 
for  me,  it  will  be  the  last  bet  I  shall  ever  make. 
And  now,  you  understand  why,  apart  from  the 
morality  of  the  thing,  I  object  to  the  horse  being 


BETWEEN  TWO  FIRES  279 

scratched.  In  fact,  you  are  not  in  a  position  to  do 
so." 

Sir  George  rubbed  his  head  bewilderingly. 

"  Please  say  it  all  over  again,"  he  asked.  "  I  know 
you  mean  everything  you  say,  I  know  you  are  not 
joking  with  me,  but  I  can't  understand  it." 

Fielden  went  over  his  points  once  more  slowly 
and  carefully,  and  then,  at  last,  Sir  George  began 
to  see.  He  did  not  fail  to  grasp  his  own  position, 
either.  He  knew  the  peril  in  which  he  stood, 
unless  he  could  persuade  Fielden  to  fall  in  with  his 
plans.  But  Fielden  had  told  him  he  had  backed 
the  colt  for  all  he  was  worth,  and  he  was  not 
likely  to  ruin  himself  merely  to  save  an  old  man 
from  the  result  of  his  folly.  Besides,  this  would  en- 
tail a  shameful  confession,  for  Sir  George  was  not 
aware  that  Fielden  had  an  intelligent  view  of  the 
situation. 

"  This  is  very  awkward,"  he  remarked. 

"  I  don't  see  why  it  should  be,"  Fielden  said 
coolly.  '  You  can  make  a  fortune,  too.  You 
have  backed  the  horse  heavily,  and  nothing  in  the 
race  has  any  chance  of  beating  him.  I  must  con- 
sider myself.  I  have  learnt  the  folly  of  sacrific- 
ing myself  to  my  friends.  In  this  affair  I  have  some 
one  to  think  about  besides  myself.  May " 

"  May  !     What  has  she  to  do  with  it  ?  " 

Fielden  hesitated.  He  hated  to  give  anybody 
pain,  but  the  time  had  come  to  speak  plainly. 


28o  HARD   PRESSED 

"  She  has  a  great  deal  to  do  with  it,"  he  said. 
"  Whatever  disgrace  falls  upon  you  cannot  affect 
her  good  name.  But,  at  the  same  time,  I  strongly 
object  to  any  one  being  able  to  say  that  my  future 
wife's  father  had  been  warned  off  the  turf  for 
malpractices." 

"  Malpractices  !  "  Sir  George  cried.  "  My  dear 
Fielden,  you  are  forgetting  yourself.  Explain, 
please." 

"  I  had  much  rather  not,"  Fielden  said.  "  But 
since  you  force  me  to  speak,  I  must  go  on.  I 
happen  to  know  a  good  deal  about  Mr.  Raymond 
Copley.  I  know  you  are  deeply  in  his  debt.  I 
know  that  he  helped  you,  because  he  hoped  thereby 
to  compel  you  to  coerce  May  into  a  marriage  with 
him.  I  am  given  to  understand  that  you  have 
done  your  best.  I  beg  of  you,  Sir  George,  not  to 
interrupt  me.  You  have  challenged  me  and  I 
have  a  right  to  state  my  case.  Copley  is  a  scoundrel 
I  knew  something  about  him  in  South  Africa,  though 
we  never  met.  But  he  was  in  constant  contact 
with  a  sort  of  partner  of  mine  named  Aaron  Phillips. 
Phillips  and  I  contrived  to  get  an  option  on  a 
diamond  mine  and,  but  for  unforeseen  circumstances, 
we  should  have  made  a  fortune  out  of  it.  But  the 
locality  was  kept  a  secret.  The  only  man  who  knew 
where  it  was  died  and  we  had  nothing  but  some 
plans  to  go  on.  Copley  and  Foster  heard  of  this 
and  resolved  to  get  hold  of  those  plans.  The  plans 


BETWEEN  TWO  FIRES  281 

have  vanished  and  probably  will  never  be  seen  again. 
Then  these  two  ruffians  tried  to  murder  Phillips. 
Indirectly  they  nearly  murdered  me.  Phillips  came 
back  to  England  and  sought  me  out.  If  he  though4 
it  worth  while  he  could  put  the  police  on  the  trad 
of  Copley  and  Foster  and  they  would  be  certai . 
of  penal  servitude.  But  Phillips  has  other  views. 
He  has  been  following  up  these  two  men  like  a  sleuth- 
hound  and  you  may  take  my  word  for  it  that  within 
a  few  days  both  Copley  and  Foster  will  be  arrested 
in  connection  with  one  of  the  biggest  turf  frauds  of 
recent  years.  Oh,  I  know  what  I  am  talking 
about." 

"  Bless  me  !  "  Sir  George  cried,  "  is  this  true  ?  " 
"  Absolutely.  I  know  about  the  whole  thing. 
I  know  how  the  scheme  has  been  worked  and  could 
put  my  hand  upon  the  confederates  at  the  present 
moment.  But  you  will  see  for  yourself  before 
the  week  is  out.  You  must  not  say  a  word  of  this 
to  a  living  soul,  and  if  you  meet  Copley  during  the 
next  day  or  two  I  will  ask  you  to  behave  towards 
him  as  if  he  were  still  a  friend.  Now  you  see  the 
kind  of  man  who  has  you  in  his  toils.  Simply 
because  Copley  has  a  powerful  hold  on  you,  you 
have  promised  to  draw  the  pen  through  the  name 
of  the  Blenheim  colt.  I  won't  unduly  blame  you, 
Sir  George  ;  no  man  knows  how  weak  he  is  till  he 
is  face  to  face  with  a  great  trouble  and  a  great 
temptation.  Was  not  that  the  situation  ?  Copley 


282  HARD  PRESSED 

is  in  a  position  to  turn  you  out  of  H^redale  Park. 
He  offers  to  cancel  the  debt  if  you  will  scratch  the 
colt.  At  that  moment  the  colt  falls  providentially 
lame.  You  can  oblige  him  without  a  soul  being 
any  the  wiser,  and  even  gain  popular  applause  over 
it,  and  make  a  fortune  out  of  it  by  working  it  the 
right  way." 

"  Not  a  penny,"  Sir  George  said  emphatically. 

"  Well,  I  am  glad  to  hear  you  say  that.  At  the 
same  time,  I  can't  forget  what  you  were  willing  to 
do.  At  any  rate,  I  am  preventing  you  from  some- 
thing in  the  nature  of  a  crime.  You  can't  inter- 
fere with  my  property,  but  you  can  refuse  to 
cany  out  what  Copley  desires  and  defy  him  to  do 
his  worst.  You  are  safe  from  him,  and  in  future 
your  daughter  will  have  no  occasion  to  be  ashamed 
of  you." 


CHAPTER   XXXVIII 

LOOSENING  THE  GRIP 

FIELDEN'S  last  thrust  went  home.  Sir  George 
fairly  winced  and  the  red  of  shame  flushed 
his  face.  Never  in  the  course  of  his  life  had  any- 
body ever  spoken  to  him  like  this  before.  And 
never  did  he  feel  less  able  to  resist  the  reproach. 

"'  You  are  going  too  far,"  was  all  he  could  say. 

"  Indeed,  I  have  no  wish  to,"  Fielden  exclaimed. 
"  I  only  want  to  save  you  from  this  crowning  folly, 
and  you  need  not  be  afraid  of  Copley.  He  is  power- 
less to  do  you  any  mischief.  Of  course,  you  will 
still  owe  the  money  to  somebody,  but  ere  the  law 
can  make  up  its  mind  who  is  your  creditor,  if 
we  have  any  luck  at  Epsom,  you  will  be  inde- 
pendent of  all  your  creditors.  Nobody  need 
know  of  this.  You  may  rest  assured  that  not  a  word 
of  it  will  ever  pass  my  lips,  and  not  even  May  shall 
be  told." 

"  I  am  afraid  she  knows  already,"  Sir  George 
rejoined.  "It  is  useless,  my  dear  boy,  for  me  to 
combat  your  statements  farther.  I  thought  I 
was  an  honest  English  gentleman,  and  now  I  £nd 

283 


284  HARD  PRESSED 

that  at  a  turn  of  the  screw  I  am  only  a  pitiful 
scoundrel.  I  fear  that  May  has  found  out  all 
about  it.  I  was  anxious  she  should  marry 
Copley,  for  salvation  seemed  to  lie  that  way, 
ind  I  was  under  great  obligations  to  the  man.  I 
was  so  annoyed  with  May  that  I  said  more  than  I 
should  have  done  ;  indeed,  I  lost  my  temper  and, 
in  the  heat  of  the  moment,  told  her  that  if  she  did 
not  obey  me  in  this  matter  she  was  no  longer  a 
daughter  of  mine.  Of 'course,  I  did  not  mean  it." 

Fielden  walked  to  the  window  and  back  before 
he  ventured  on  a  reply.  Hot  words  hovered  on  his 
lips  and  anger  filled  his  heart,  but  he  tried  to  speak 
calmly. 

"  That,  to  say  the  least  of  it,  was  indiscreet," 
he  said.  "  If  I  know  May,  and  I  think  I  do,  she  is 
the  last  girl  in  the  world  to  put  up  with  treatment 
like  that." 

"  She  didn't  put  up  with  it,"  Sir  George  confessed 
miserably.  "  She  has  gone,  taking  with  her  nothing 
but  her  mother's  jewels  which  she  intends  to  turn 
into  money.  In  her  letter  to  me  she  refuses  to 
say  where  she  is.  She  says  she  is  going  to  get  her 
own  living  and  will  never  come  back  to  Haredale. 
She  must  know  what  took  place  between  Copley 
and  me  last  night,  for  she  alludes  to  something 
she  overheard  in  the  library.  I  wonder  if  you 
can  help  me  ?  " 

Fielden  groaned  aloud.     He  had  not  expected 


LOOSENING   THE   GRIP  285 

a  bitter  disappointment  like  this.  He  was  anxious 
to  avoid  scandal.  Of  course,  the  public  would  have 
to  hear  the  strange  story  which,  like  a  romance, 
clothed  the  Blenheim  colt.  But  there  was  nothing 
in  that  to  be  ashamed  of,  nothing  which  would 
reflect  on  the  honour  either  of  Sir  George  or  himself. 
Nor  would  the  vast  army  of  race-goers  suffer.  But 
the  disappearance  of  May  had  altered  all  that. 
People  would  ask  questions  and  neighbours  were 
sure  to  talk.  For  the  moment  it  seemed  as  if 
Fielden's  efforts  had  been  wasted,  then  an  inspiration 
shot  into  his  mind  and  he  took  comfort  from  it. 

"  I  think  I  know  where  to  find  her,"  he  said. 
"  But  it  may  take  me  a  few  days  and,  meanwhile, 
you  had  better  let  it  be  known  that  May  has  gone 
away  on  a  visit.  We  will  assume  that  she  is  stay- 
ing with  Miss  Garden  for  the  present.  I  need  not 
detain  you  longer.  You  will  know  what  to  do  when 
Copley  turns  up  to  ascertain  why  the  Blenheim 
colt  has  not  been  scratched.  For  obvious  reasons 
we  won't  make  the  discovery  public  just  yet ;  in 
fact,  I  see  no  reason  why  it  should  be  made  public 
at  all.  We  can  trust  May,  and  I  am  sure  we  can 
trust  Raffle,  though  you  will  have  to  tell  Copley 
the  truth.  Still,  as  he  will  be  in  other  hands  before 
long,  nothing  he  can  say  or  do  will  matter  much.  I 
am  going  up  to  London  and  shall  be  greatly  surprised 
if,  when  I  come  back,  I  don't  bring  you  news  of 
May," 


286  HARD  PRESSED 

Fielden  took  his  departure,  leaving  Sir  George 
to  his  own  troubled  thoughts.  He  was  properly 
ashamed  of  himself.  He  knew  what  a  humiliating 
figure  he  had  cut.  He  knew  how  two  people, 
whose  opinions  he  valued  highly,  despised  him. 
Yet,  in  spite  jf  everything,  himself  included,  he 
was  glad  to  know  that  he  would  be  compelled  to  keep 
faith  with  the  public.  He  was  glad  to  know  that 
within  a  few  days  Copley  would  have  no  further 
power  to  harm  him.  He  had  known  all  along, 
juggle  with  his  conscience  as  he  might,  that  old 
Raffle  had  been  perfectly  correct  in  regard  to  the 
colt.  Notwithstanding  the  folly  of  that  appearance 
at  Mirst  Park,  the  colt  was  not  so  lame  as  he  had 
made  out  and  in  a  week  or  two  would  be  all  right 
again.  At  the  present  moment  if  he  risked  a  thou- 
stand  or  two,  there  was  almost  absolute  certainty 
he  would  get  it  back  fifty-fold  at  the  great  Epsom 
meeting.  As  Sir  George  pondered  the  situation,  his 
mind  was  equally  divided  between  shame  and  exulta- 
tion. He  did  not  fail  to  see  his  conduct  in  its  proper 
light,  nor  did  he  fail  to  see  an  honourable  way  out, 
with  credit  to  himself  and  a  good  many  thousands 
in  his  pocket.  He  sat  thinking  until  it  was  time 
for  his  solitary  dinner.  He  had  proved  everything 
to  his  satisfaction  before  he  returned  to  the  library 
for  a  cigar.  He  would  have  given  anything  to 
have  had  May  back  again,  for  once  she  was  under 
his  roof,  the  way  looked  perfectly  clear.  He  was 


LOOSENING  THE  GRIP  287 

still  weighing  the  pros  and  cons  when  Copley  strode 
angrily  into  the  library. 

He  had  entered  unannounced  and  looked  at  Sir 
George  with  the  light  of  battle  in  his  eye.  He  stood 
an  imposing,  bullying  figure.  But  the  master  of 
the  house  was  not  afraid. 

"  What  is  the  meaning  of  this  ?  "  Copley  de- 
manded. "  I  hope  you  are  not  trying  to  shirk  your 
obligations,  because  if  you  do,  by  gad,  I  shall  have 
to  teach  you  a  lesson." 

"  You  mean  about  the  colt  ? "  Sir  George 
asked. 

"  What  else  could  I  mean  ?  You  promised  he 
should  be  scratched  this  afternoon.  It  hadn't 
been  done  when  I  left  London  at  six  o'clock. 
Why?" 

"Sit  down  and  have  a  cigar,"  Sir  George  said, 
"  and  I'll  explain  to  you.  But  don't  adopt  that 
tone  to  me,  because  I  don't  like  it.  I  am  not 
accustomed  to  it." 

Copley  burst  into  an  offensive  laugh. 

"  Oh,  aren't  you  ?  "  he  said.  "  We'll  precious 
soon  see  about  that.  No,  I  don't  want  a  cigar  or 
anything  to  drink.  I'll  go  home  again  and  perhaps 
I  can  find  another  way -" 

".I  don't  think  it  will  make  much  difference," 
Sir  George  said  mildly.  "  I  didn't  scratch  the  colt 
for  the  simple  reason  that  I  find  I  haven't  the 
power." 


288  HARD   PRESSED 

"  Haven't  the  power  ?  What  are  you  talking 
about  ?  " 

"  I  assure  you  I  am  speaking  the  truth.  I 
wasn't  in  the  least  aware  of  it  myself  till  this  after- 
noon. It  is  quite  a  story  in  its  way.  Now  do, 
please,  sit  down  and  listen.  The  man  you  know  as 
Field  is  the  son  of  an  old  friend  of  mine  named 
Fielden,  who  at  one  time  owned  a  considerable 
amount  of  property  hereabouts.  You  may  have 
heard  some  of  the  neighbours  speak  of  him.  The 
son  preferred  not  to  be  known  by  his  proper  name, 
and  that  is  why  I  introduced  him  to  you  as  Field. 
Now  Field,  or  Fielden,  whichever  you  like  to 
call  him,  is  really  the  owner  of  the  Blenheim  colt. 
If  you  will  be  quiet  I  will  tell  you  all  about  it. 
By  the  way,  Fielden  knows  a  good  deal  about 
you  and  also  about  your  friend  Foster.  He 
ran  against  you  in  South  Africa  where  he  was  in 
partnership  with  a  man  called  Aaron  Phillips. 
I  don't  know  Mr.  Phillips  myself,  but  he  tells 
a  story  which  interested  me  very  much.  I  have 
just  had  it  from  Mr.  Fielden's  lips.  But  sit 
down." 

Copley  sat  down  suddenly.  His  bullying  air 
fell  away  from  him  like  a  garment.  He  seemed  to 
have  some  difficulty  in  getting  a  light  to  his  cigar. 
Sir  George  could  almost  have  smiled  as  he  saw  the 
change  in  his  one-time  friend.  There  was  a  look 
of  anxiety,  almost  of  anxious  misery,  in  Copley's 


LOOSENING  THE  GRIP  289 

eyes  as  he  wriggled  about  in  his  chair  whilst  Sir 
George  told  his  tale. 

"  There  you  have  it  in  a  nutshell,"  the  latter 
concluded.  "  That  is  the  whole  romance  for  you 
to  deal  with  as  you  like.  It  doesn't  matter  a  bit 
whether  I  want  to  serve  you  or  not,  you  can  see 
for  yourself  the  position  I  am  in  and  how  powerless 
I  am  to  prevent  the  Blenheim  colt  from  running 
in  this  year's  Derby.  Mr.  Fielden  would  not 
consent,  even  if  he  hadn't  backed  the  colt 
to  his  last  penny.  You  may  depend  upon  it 
that  if  the  horse  starts  he  is  bound  to  win,  for  in 
this  year's  moderate  lot  there  is  nothing  to  beat 
him.  This  upsets  all  your  plans,  but  you  will 
find  that  everything  I  say  is  correct.  You  have 
still  time  to  get  out." 

"  How  can  I  ?  "  Copley  asked.  "  Why,  I  have 
laid  against  the  colt  till  I  am  tired  of  it,  and  if  he 
runs  he'll  win.  But  it  is  no  use  my  sitting  here 
wasting  time.  I  must  go  back  at  once  and  talk 
this  thing  over  with  Foster.  I  never  heard  such 
an  extraordinary  story  in  my  life.  I  thought 
I  was  up  to  most  of  the  moves,  but  a  pro- 
phet couldn't  have  foreseen  this.  One  thing 
is  very  certain,  as  matters  have  turned  out  I 
shall  want  every  penny  I  can  scrape  together  the 
next  few  days  and  I  shall  look  to  you  to  repay 
what  you  owe  me.  Of  course,  I  don't  want  to  be 
unpleasant,  but  necessity  knows  no  law." 

T 


29o  HARD  PRESSED 

Sir  George  waved  his  cigar  gracefully.  He  felt 
he  could  promise  with  an  easy  mind. 

"Don't  let  that  trouble  you,"  he  said.  "I 
think  I  shall  be  able  to  manage.  Circumstances 
alter  cases.  Must  you  really  go  ?  " 


CHAPTER   XXXIX 

A    DRAMATIC   EXIT 

MAY  had  taken  her  fortune  in  her  own  hands. 
She  had,  as  she  thought,  shaken  the  dust 
of  Haredale  Park  from  her  feet  for  ever.  There 
was  no  reason,  she  thought,  why  she  should  not 
make  her  own  way  in  the  world.  Her  trinkets  were 
more  valuable  than  she  had  expected.  She  had 
disposed  of  one  for  a  hundred  pounds,  and  had 
no  anxiety  as  to  the  immediate  future.  But 
she  was  miserable  enough.  Lodgings  seemed  to 
cramp  and  confine  her.  She  missed  the  pure  air 
of  the  Downs,  and  longed  once  more  to  feel  the 
exhilarating  stride  of  a  good  horse  under  her.  At 
the  end  of  three  days  she  would  have  given  her 
pride  and  all  her  possessions  to  be  back  at  Haredale. 
Already  she  was  trying  to  think  of  some  excuse  for 
returning  home. 

She  did  not  know  how  near  her  wishes  were  to 
being  gratified.  She  was  not  aware  that  Fielden 
was  looking  for  her  all  over  London.  He  had 
jumped  to  the  correct  conclusion  that  he  would  find 
her  near  to  Alice  Garden,  but  the  trouble  was  to 


292  HARD   PRESSED 

obtain  Miss  Garden's  address.  It  was  not  till  the 
Saturday  morning  that  he  ran  against  Phillips,  who 
fortunately  knew  where  Garden  lived. 

'  You  won't  find  him  at  home,"  he  said. 

"  I  don't  want  him,"  Fielden  smiled.  "  Thank 
you  very  much.  I'll  see  you  later  in  the  day, 
perhaps." 

"  I'm  busy,"  Phillips  said  darkly.  "  I've  a  good 
many  things  to  do  this  morning.  I've  to  inter- 
view Selwyn  and  other  big  plungers.  After  that, 
I  have  an  appointment  with  one  of  the  leading 
men  of  Scotland  Yard,  which  will  take  us  down 
to  Mirst  Park  with  a  view  to  going  over  a  certain 
house  we  wot  of." 

Phillips  bustled  away  and  Fielden  lost  no  time 
in  seeking  out  the  modest  residence  of  Major  Garden. 
He  was  disappointed  to  hear  that  Miss  Garden  was 
out,  but  it  was  gratifying  to  be  told  that  Miss  Car- 
den's  friend  was  in  the  house.  Without  waiting 
for  further  information,  Fielden  walked  upstairs 
into  the  room  where  May  was  seated.  She  had 
pulled  a  chair  up  dejectedly  in  front  of  the  fire  and 
started  at  the  sound  of  Fielden's  voice.  There 
were  tears  in  her  eyes. 

"  So  you  have  found  me  out." 

"  Oh,  yes,  I  have  run  you  to  earth,"  Fielden 
smiled.  "  I  have  been  looking  for  you  for  three 
days.  I  had  some  difficulty  in  getting  the  Major's 
address,  but  felt  quite  sure  that  when  I  had  that 


A  DRAMATIC  EXIT  293 

you  would  not  be  far  off.  Like  me,  May,  you  have 
not  many  friends.  And  now,  don't  you  think  you 
have  been  foolish  ?  " 

May  smiled  through  her  tears. 

"  But  what  else  could  I  do  ?  "  she  asked.  "  Oh, 
my  dear  boy,  if  you  knew  everything  you  would 
-not  blame  me." 

"  I  think  I  do  know  everything,"  Fielden  said 
gravely.  "  At  any  rate^I  know  why  you  left  home. 
I  had  a  long  interview  with  your  father,  and — well, 
I  won't  blame  him.  None  of  us  know  what  we 
would  do  in  a  temptation  like  that.  That 
scoundrel  Copley  had  him  entirely  in  his  power. 
Now,  tell  me,  do  you  know  anything  of  the  great 
conspiracy  ?  Were  you  in  the  library  the  night 
before  you  left  home,  and  did  you  hear  Sir  George 
and  Copley " 

"  I  heard  everything,"  May  exclaimed.  "  I  must 
tell  you,  Harry ;  I  must  tell  somebody.  I  never 
felt  so  ashamed  and  humiliated  in  my  life.  It  was 
bad  enough  to  be  turned  out  of  the  house  because 
I  refused  to  marry  that  man,  but  when  I  found  that 
my  father  had  entered  into  a  plot  with  Mr.  Copley 
to  do  a  disgraceful  thing,  I  felt  I  could  not  stay 
at  home  any  longer.  I  suppose  the  mischief  is 
done  and  the  Blenheim  colt  has  been  struck 
out  of  the  Derby.  But  though  the  public  will 
never  know  how  they  have  been  swindled,  I  shall 
always  feel  that  my  father " 


294  HARD  PRESSED 

The  girl  broke  down. 

"  You  need  not  worry  about  that,"  Fielden  said. 
"  I  quite  understand  what  your  feelings  are.  But 
what  you  so  greatly  dread  will  never  happen.  Dis- 
grace will  be  spared  you  and  yours,  because  your 
father  has  not  the  power  to  interfere  with  the  colt. 
Possibly  before  the  day  is  out  Copley  will  be 
as  helpless  as  a  child.  You  look  surprised  and  I 
don't  wonder.  I  am  going  to  tell  you  something 
in  the  nature  of  a  romance.  To  begin  with,  the 
Blenheim  colt  belongs  to  me." 

May  was  too  surprised  to  speak.  She  sat  on  the 
arm  of  Fielden's  chair.  She  did  not  seem  to  notice 
that  his  arm  was  around  her,  and  that  her  head 
was  very  near  his  shoulder.  She  did  not  seem  to 
care  about  anything  now  that  Fielden  was  with  her, 
and  there  was  a  link  between  the  past  and  the  pres- 
ent. It  was  a  fascinating  story  which  Fielden  had 
to  tell,  much  more  remarkable  than  anything  May 
had  ever  read  of  between  the  covers  of  a  sport- 
ing novel.  When  the  recital  was  finished  she  wiped 
the  tears  from  her  eyes,  and  a  happy  smile  broke 
over  her  face.  On  the  spur  of  the  moment  she 
bent  down  and  kissed  her  companion. 

"  Did  any  one  ever  hear  the  like  of  it  ? "  she 
exclaimed.  "  It  seems  almost  too  good  to  be  true. 
It  is  more  like  a  fairy  story  than  literal  fact.  But 
I  am  glad  for  your  sake,  for  my  sake,  and  for 
my  father's  sake.  For  he  is  my  father,  and  it  is 


A  DRAMATIC  EXIT  295 

possible  that  in  his  position  I  might  have  acted  in 
a  like  heedless  and  foolish  way.  It  would  have 
been  a  terrible  blow  for  him  to  leave  Haredale  Park. 
It  is  only  since  I  have  been  in  lodgings  that 
I  have  come  to  realize  what  it  means  to  have 
no  home,  what  it  was  to  turn  out  of  such  a  dear 
old  place  as  Haredale.  But,  Harry,  we  don't 
appear  to  be  out  of  the  wood  yet.  It  will  be  a 
bitter  disappointment  to  Mr.  Copley  and  his  col- 
league to  be  deprived  of  their  chance  of  swindling 
the  public.  I  am  sure  Mr.  Copley  will  be  none 
the  less  vindictive  against  my  father,  because  this 
was  no  fault  of  his.  I  am  afraid  we  shall  have  to 
leave  Haredale  in  any  case." 

"  I  don't  think  so,"  Fielden  said.  "  Before  long 
Copley  will  be  powerless.  We  shall  be  able  to 
hang  on  till  Derby  Day  ;  then  the  gallant  colt  will 
win  fortunes  for  all  of  us,  and  I  shall  be  a  rich  man 
again.  I  shall  be  able  to  restore  the  old  house  and 
buy  back  the  land,  and  then  I  shall  have  a  home 
fit  to  ask  my  wife  to.  After  that  we  shall  be 
happy,  only  there  won't  be  any  more  betting  and 
gambling,  because  I  have  leamt  my  lesson,  and  it 
will  be  all  the  more  effectual  and  lasting  because 
it  has  been  bitter.  Meanwhile  nobody  knows 
anything  about  your  trouble  with  your  father 
except  myself  and,  I  presume,  Miss  Garden.  You 
are  supposed  to  be  on  a  visit  to  London  for  a 
few  days.  It  is  lucky  you  have  no  maid  to  make 


296  HARD  PRESSED 

mischief.  I  must  return  to  Haredale  this  evening. 
Let  me  tell  your  father  that  I  have  explained 
everything  to  you,  that  you  are  coming  back  on 
Monday  or  Tuesday,  and  that  Miss  Garden  will 
accompany  you.  I  know  Sir  George  will  be  glad 
to  see  you.  He  told  me  he  could  not  under- 
stand how  he  spoke  to  you  as  he  did.  And,  you 
see,  as  there  is  no  one  to  follow  your  father,  as  the 
title  will  die  out  with  him,  Haredale  Park  will  be 
your  own  some  day.  I  know  you  love  the  place." 

"  I  couldn't  tell  you  how  much,"  May  said  un- 
steadily. "  It  is  only  during  the  last  few  days  that 
I  have  realized  the  depth  of  my  affection.  I  will  come 
back.  You  may  tell  father  I  said  so.  I  will  return 
on  Monday  as  early  as  possible  and  I  hope  you  will 
be  there  to  meet  me.  I  thought  I  was  going  to  be 
brave  and  strong  and  earn  my  own  living  ;  I  thought 
that  wanted  no  more  than  the  pluck  one  has  to 
exhibit  in  the  hunting-field.  But  it  is  quite  differ- 
ent. It  must  be  a  matter  of  custom  and  surround- 
ings. It  is  all  very  well  to  run  up  to  London  to 
spend  a  few  days  with  friends,  but  when  you  are 
alone,  as  I  have  been,  the  very  size  of  the  place 
frightens  one.  You  don't  know  how  glad  I  shall 
be  to  be  home  again.  Why,  twenty-four  hours  after 
I  came  here  I  began  to  cast  about  for  reasons  and 
excuses  for  going  back." 

An  hour  later  Fielden  left,  at  peace  with  all  man- 
kind and  inclined  to  take  a  roseate  view  of  the 


A  DRAMATIC  EXIT  297 

future.  Everything  depended  on  the  Blenheim 
colt.  The  path  was  clear  and  those  chiefly  con- 
cerned were  going  to  have  a  straight  run  for  their 
money.  The  poisonous  influence  of  Copley  would 
be  removed.  There  would  be  peace  and  happiness 
at  Haredale  Park  once  more  and,  above  all,  May 
was  coming  home. 

Fielden  flung  himself  down  in  the  corner  of  his 
carriage  and  proceeded  to  open  a  late  edition  of 
an  evening  paper.  He  read  the  racing  news  of 
interest,  then  turned  to  the  news  items  on  the  fifth 
page.  Two  headlines  caught  his  attention  at  once 
and  held  him  fascinated.  They  were  sensational 
enough  even  to  the  ordinary  person,  but  to  Fielden 
they  were  pregnant  with  meaning. 

"  ALLEGED  GREAT  TURF  FRAUDS. 
"  ARREST  OF  MR.  COPLEY  AND  MR.  FOSTER. 

"  Late  this  afternoon,  the  well-known  financier, 
Mr.  Raymond  Copley,  and  his  private  secretary, 
Mr.  Foster,  were  arrested  in  London  on  a  warrant 
in  connection  with  some  alleged  turf  frauds  which 
took  place  recently  at  the  Post  Club.  We  under- 
stand that  the  warrant  was  granted  at  the  instance 
of  Mr.  Selwyn." 


CHAPTER   XL 

CAUGHT ! 

RAYMOND  COPLEY  went  away  from  Haredale 
Park  with  every  ounce  of  fight  knocked  out 
of  him.  Never  for  a  moment  had  he  anticipated 
a  development  like  this.  He  had  gone  there  in  his 
most  truculent  mood.  Everything  seemed  to  be 
prospering  with  him.  He  had  only  to  hold  out  his 
hand  and  all  would  drop  into  it.  He  had  no  fear 
Sir  George  would  defy  him.  Rather  had  he  taken  a 
journey  across  the  fields  in  order  to  manifest  his 
power. 

There  had  been  no  actual  necessity  for  Sir  George 
to  put  his  colt  out  of  the  betting  yet ;  indeed,  it 
would  have  been  diplomatic  to  wait  for  another 
fortnight.  But  Sir  George  must  be  shown  that  he 
could  not  do  as  he  liked.  He  must  understand 
the  force  he  had  to  deal  with  in  Copley. 

Now  it  had  all  vanished  like  a  dream.  The 
thing  appeared  incredible  to  Copley  as  he  walked 
homewards.  He  could  not  realize  it.  He  was  not 

disposed  to  regard  Sir  George's  story  as  a  deliber- 

m 


CAUGHT !  299 

ate  lie,  for  it  bore  the  impress  of  truth.  The  only 
way  to  settle  the  thing  once  and  for  all  was  to  ask 
for  absolute  proof.  But,  if  this  were  done,  Harry 
Fielden  would  protest  and,  if  he  did  so,  the  public 
would  learn  what  was  going  on.  Taking  it  alto- 
gether, the  risk  was  too  great. 

He  would  have  to  find  some  other  way  out  of  his 
difficulties.  He  had  laid  against  the  Blenheim  colt 
thick  and  thin.  He  had  literally  piled  the  money 
against  it  with  the  comfortable  assurance  that  it 
would  never  run  at  all,  and  that  he  was  about  to 
net  a  huge  fortune  without  a  pennyworth  of  risk. 
That  prospect  had  vanished  at  a  blow.  If  he 
stayed  in  England  he  would  have  to  pay  these  debts, 
or  the  turf  would  know  him  no  more.  And  if  posted 
at  TattersalTs,  his  career  was  at  an  end.  There 
would  be  no  more  chance  of  making  money  in  that 
way.  He  would  have  to  start  an  entirely  new  plan 
if  he  meant  to  keep  up  his  role  of  millionaire.  But 
millionaires  do  not  repudiate  their  racing  debts,  and 
Copley  could  see  nothing  but  ruin  wherever  he 
looked. 

There  was  worse  behind,  too.  It  was  disturbing 
to  know  that  in  some  mysterious  manner  Aaron 
Phillips  was  mixed  up  in  this  business.  But  he 
had  made  no  sign.  He  had  not  come  near  Copley, 
nor  had  he  attempted  to  extort  money  from  him. 
Yet  he  was  actually  a  sort  of  partner  with  Harry 
Fielden,  who  had  taken  service  with  Copley  under 


300  HARD  PRESSED 

the  name  of  Field.  The  more  Copley  thought  over 
the  matter  the  less  he  liked  it.  He  had  known 
Fielden  by  name,  although  they  had  never  met. 
He  realized  for  the  first  time  that  he  had  a  deadly 
enemy  under  his  own  roof,  so  to  speak.  How  much 
did  these  two  know  ? 

Well,  it  wouldn't  be  difficult  to  discover.  He 
would  send  for  Fielden  directly  he  got  back  to 
Seton  Manor  and  pump  him  judiciously.  Foster 
awaited  him  with  the  air  of  a  man  who  finds  the 
world  a  good  place  to  live  in.  He  looked  uneasy, 
however,  as  he  noted  the  expression  of  his  employer's 
face. 

"  What's  the  matter  ?  "  he  asked. 
"  Matter  enough,"  Copley  growled.  "  It's  all 
over,  my  friend.  You  can  say  good-bye  to  your 
dreams  of  fortune.  If  we  can  get  away  with  a 
whole  skin  we  shall  be  lucky.  As  far  as  I  can 
make  out,  we  have  made  ourselves  liable  for  thirty 
or  forty  thousand  pounds,  and  have  nothing  to 
pay  it  with." 

"  Well,  that's  all  right,"  Foster  said. 
"  Oh,  is  it  ?     I  suppose  you  will  admit  that  if  the 
Blenheim  colt  turns  out  fit  and  well  for  the  Derby 
there  is  nothing  to  beat  him." 

"  If  he  does  turn  out.     But  he  won't." 
"  Oh,  yes,  he  will.     But  I'll  tell  you  the  story  and 
if  you  can  show  me  some  way  out  you  are  a  cleverer 
man  than  I  take  you  for." 


CAUGHT !  301 

Foster  listened  with  deepest  interest.  He  looked 
just  as  anxious  and  haggard  as  Copley  by  the 
time  the  story  was  finished.  For  a  long  time  he  sat 
gnawing  his  fingers. 

"  It's  a  facer,"  he  said  presently.  "  That  horse 
will  run,  and  he'll  win,  too,  unless  we  can  find  some 
means  of  preventing  him  from  starting.  We  must 
find  some  means." 

Copley  threw  up  his  hand  impatiently. 

"  What's  the  good  of  talking  that  rot  ?  "  he  said. 
"  The  age  for  getting  at  horses  is  past.  That 
was  done  with  years  ago.  Even  the  sporting 
writer  wouldn't  dare  to  use  a  situation  like  this. 
You  must  think  of  something  better  than  that. 
If  the  worst  comes  to  the  worst  we've  got  a  few 
weeks  to  turn  round  between  now  and  Derby  day. 
Sir  George  owes  me  forty  thousand  pounds,  which 
I  must  get  without  delay.  It  is  no  use  thinking 
anything  more  about  May  Haredale.  With  that 
money  we  may  be  able  to  cover  our  loss  or  hedge 
and  bring  it  down  to  a  trifle.  We  shall  have  to  be 
contented  with  what  we  make  over  the  Mirst  Park 
meeting.  So  long  as  Rickerby  and  that  set  are 
not  suspicious " 

"  I  begin  to  fear  they  are,"  Foster  interrupted. 
"  As  you  know,  we  ought  to  have  had  a  big  cheque 
last  week,  but  it  hasn't  come,  though  I  wrote  a 
sharp  letter  about  it  again  the  day  before  yester- 
day. I  don't  know  whether  Rickerby  suspects, 


302  HARD  PRESSED 

or  whether  he  will  refuse  to  pay,  but  in  the  face 
of  what  you  have  learnt  the  non-receipt  of  that 
cheque  is  alarming.  Nor  do  I  like  what  you  say 
about  Phillips  and  this  chap  Fielden.  Phillips  is 
a  dangerous  man  and  owes  us  a  grudge.  Let's 
have  Fielden  in.  We  may  be  able  to  bully  something 
out  of  him." 

Copley  jumped  at  the  idea.  He  rang  the  bell  and 
sent  for  Fielden,  who  appeared  presently  cool  and 
collected,  and  ready  to  answer  any  questions. 

"  Look  here,"  Copley  said  in  his  most  overbear- 
ing manner,  "  I've  been  hearing  things  about  you. 
I  am  told  your  name  is  not  Field  at  all,  but 
Fielden.  Is  that  so  ?  " 

"  That  is  quite  correct,"  Harry  said  calmly. 

"  Then,  what  the  devil  do  you  mean  by  coming 
into  my  service  under  false  pretences  ?  No  honest 
man " 

"  I'll  thank  you  not  to  take  that  tone  with  me," 
Fielden  said.  "  We  don't  want  to  discuss  the 
question  of  honesty.  It  is  a  subject  on  which  you  are 
not  an  authority.  But  I  see  you  have  found  out 
everything  and  I  may  as  well  be  candid.  I  entered 
your  service  because  I  had  nothing  to  do.  I 
assumed  the  name  of  Field,  because  I  found  nobody 
recognized  me  and  I  didn't  want  any  of  my  old  friends 
to  know  what  I  was  doing.  I  suppose  I  am  correct 
in  assuming  that  Sir  George  Haredale  has  told  you 
everything.  Probably  he  has  informed  you  that 


CAUGHT !  303 

my  partner  in  South  Africa  was  Aaron  Phillips.  I 
need  not  ask  if  you  know  Aaron  Phillips,  because 
that  would  be  superfluous.  I  never  met  either  of 
you  till  I  returned  to  England,  but  I  know  about 
you.  Phillips  knows  more.  I  am  also  aware  of 
the  conspiracy  for  preventing  the  Blenheim  colt 
from  running  in  the  Derby,  but  that  scheme  is 
frustrated.  Have  you  any  more  to  say  ?  " 

"  This  is  a  nice  way  to  speak  to  an  employer," 
Copley  protested. 

"  It  would  be  if  I  were  still  in  your  employ," 
Fielden  retorted.  "  But  I  no  longer  consider 
myself  your  servant.  There  is  no  occasion  for  me 
to  remain  with  you.  Perhaps  the  next  time  we 
meet — but  never  mind  about  that." 

Fielden  turned  curtly  on  his  heel  and  left  the  room. 
The  other  two  exchanged  significant  glances. 

"  Pretty  cool,"  Foster  muttered. 

"  Yes,  and  pretty  sure  of  his  ground,  too," 
Copley  replied.  "  I  don't  like  it,  Foster,  I  don't 
like  it  a  bit.  I  have  a  feeling  that  those  fellows 
know  everything.  It  frightens  me  to  think  that 
Phillips  has  been  lying  low  for  so  long.  You  may 
depend  upon  it  he  is  up  to  some  mischief.  And 
now  that  you  tell  me  you  have  not  received 
Rickerby's  cheque  I  feel  all  the  more  certain  of  it. 
Don't  you  think  it  would  be  as  well  to  go  over  to 
The  Nook  and  remove  that  telephone  ?  It  always 
struck  me  as  a  dangerous  thing  to  leave  it  on  the 


304  HARD   PRESSED 

roof.  You  never  know  what  inquisitive  people 
there  may  be  about.  If  anybody  acquainted  with 
racing  only  saw  it  they  would  be  sure  to  make 
inquiries.  We  had  better  take  the  car  and  run 
over  before  it  is  dark.  What  do  you  say  ?  " 

Foster  had  no  objection  ;  in  fact,  he  rather  liked 
the  idea.  Half  an  hour  later  the  car  was  crossing 
the  country  and  before  dusk  the  two  reached  their 
destination.  They  were  later  than  they  had  ex- 
pected in  consequence  of  a  breakdown  on  the  road, 
but  they  seemed  to  be  in  time,  for  the  house  was 
quiet  and  deserted  and,  so  far  as  they  could  see, 
nobody  had  been  meddling  with  the  telephone. 
Foster  drew  down  the  blinds  and  lit  the  gas.  It 
had  not  occurred  to  him  to  lock  the  front  door. 
There  was  no  occasion  for  hurry  and,  after  procuring 
a  chest  of  tools,  he  started  on  his  work,  which 
presented  few  difficulties. 

Then  the  door  opened  and  two  men  walked 
deliberately  into  the  hall.  Copley  turned  upon 
them  with  a  snarl. 


CHAPTER    XLI 

HOME   AGAIN 

"  XT  THAT  do  you  mean  by  this  ?  "  Copley 
V  V  demanded. 

The  intruders  were  not  in  the  least  abashed. 
On  the  contrary,  they  had  every  evidence  of  being 
very  sure  of  their  ground.  The  foremost  touched 
Copley  on  the  shoulder. 

"  Mr.  Raymond  Copley,  I  believe  ?  "  he  said 
politely. 

"  It  would  be  foolish  to  deny  it,"  Copley  sneered. 

"  Very  good,  sir,"  the  stranger  went  on.  "  And 
this  other  gentleman  is  Mr.  Foster  ?  " 

Foster  nodded  uneasily.  He  held  the  screw- 
driver he  was  using  and  waited  for  developments 
with  white  face  and  quivering  lips. 

"  That  being  so,  gentlemen,"  the  stranger  said, 
"  I  may  as  well  introduce  myself.  I  am  Inspector 
Andrews  of  Scotland  Yard  and  this  is  my  assistant. 
We  have  a  warrant  for  the  arrest  of  both  of  you  on 
the  charge  of  obtaining  a  large  sum  of  money  by 
means  of  a  trick  from  Mr.  Selwyn  and  others  in 
connection  with  race  meetings  at  Mirst  Park.  The 

306 


306  HARD  PRESSED 

warrant  was  obtained  on  the  information  of  Mr. 
Selwyn,  and  you  will  please  consider  yourselves 
my  prisoners.  Anything  you  say,  of  course,  will 
be  given  in  evidence  against  you." 

Copley  cursed  himself  under  his  breath.  What  a 
fool  he  had  been  to  come  here  !  The  matter  would 
have  been  bad  enough  if  he  had  been  arrested 
at  Seton  Manor,  but  to  be  taken  here,  to  be 
identified  in  this  fashion  at  The  Nook  was  fatal. 
There  was  nothing  for  it  in  the  circumstances  but 
to  try  to  bluster. 

"  This  is  an  outrage,"  he  exclaimed.  "  It  is  a 
mere  tale  to  extort  money  from  a  man  in  my  posi- 
tion. You  haven't  a  scrap  of  evidence  to  justify 
a  proceeding  like  this." 

"  That  remains  to  be  proved,  sir,"  the  Inspector 
said  quietly.  "  I  may  say  that  your  accomplice, 
Captain  Eversleigh,  is  already  in  custody  and  is 
volunteering  all  the  information  we  require.  We 
have  also  arrested  the  man  Chaffey  in  the  neigh- 
bourhood of  Covent  Garden.  More  than  that,  we 
have  interviewed  the  National  Telephone  authorities, 
and  they  have  not  been  reticent,  either.  Besides 
that,  we  can  produce  the  agent  who  let  this  house 
and  who  has  already  identified  you.  Also,  we  have 
taken  possession  of  the  office  of  Jolly  &  Co., 
and  your  accomplice  there  is  in  our  hands  also. 
I  don't  think  we  have  left  anything  undone.  We 
motored  to  Seton  Manor,  but  you  had  left  just  before 


HOME  AGAIN  307 

we  arrived.  We  kept  you  under  observation  till 
now.  Come,  Mr.  Copley,  nothing  will  be  gained 
by  taking  this  attitude.  I  am  telling  you  this  in 
fairness  to  yourself  so  that  you  may  know  what 
you  have  to  answer." 

Copley  was  done  and  submitted  quietly  to  have 
the  handcuffs  put  upon  his  wrists.  Foster  seemed 
equally  subdued.  He  advanced  towards  the  In- 
spector's assistant,  then  suddenly  lunged  forward, 
brushed  him  aside,  and  darted  through  the  door 
into  the  open  air.  Instantly  he  was  lost  in  the 
thick  bushes.  Inspector  Andrews  shrugged  his 
shoulders. 

"  You  are  to  blame  for  that,"  he  said.  "  No, 
it  is  no  use  following  him  just  now.  We  must 
pick  him  up  later.  Mr.  Copley,  if  you  are  quite 
ready  we'll  get  back  to  London." 

An  hour  later  Copley  was  safely  housed.  By 
seven  o'clock  his  name  was  ringing  from  one  end  of 
London  to  the  other.  At  first  the  published  details 
were  meagre,  but  the  extra  specials  contained  fuller 
tidings.  They  had  managed  to  ferret  out  some 
racing  particulars  and  to  interview  Rickerby,  who 
was  not  in  the  least  reticent.  By  ten  o'clock 
Copley's  arrest  formed  the  one  topic  of  conversation 
in  the  clubs.  His  name  appeared  largely  on  every 
poster  and  the  South  African  millionaire  found 
himself  notorious. 

The  news  even  reached  the  ears  of  May  Haredale 


308  HARD   PRESSED 

and  her  friend  Alice.  They  had  been  treating  them- 
selves to  the  theatre  in  honour  of  recent  events  and 
paused  on  their  way  home  to  buy  a  paper.  There 
was  plenty  to  discuss  as  they  partook  of  their  frugal 
supper  and  they  sat  till  late  with  the  paper  between 
them. 

"  You  have  had  a  lucky  escape,"  Alice  said. 

"  My  father  has,"  May  replied.  "  I  would  never 
have  married  that  man.  I  would  have  starved 
first.  I  never  liked  him  and  always  felt  there  was 
something  wrong  about  him.  He  won't  trouble 
us  any  more  and  I  only  hope  this  terrible  business 
won't  upset  my  father." 

"  Don't  let  us  talk  any  more  about  it,"  Alice 
said.  "  Let  us  think  about  nothing  else  but  your 
going  home  again.  I  don't  know  how  I  shall  manage 
to  stay  in  London  after  this.  My  fortnight  at 
Haredale  Park  spoilt  me." 

It  is  not  necessary  to  say  much  about  May's  home- 
coming. Sir  George  met  his  daughter  in  the  hall. 
He  waited  to  say  a  few  words  to  Alice  Garden  and 
then  led  May  into  the  library. 

"  I  hope  you  won't  blame  me,  my  child,"  he  said. 
"  I  can  say  no  more  than  that  I  am  exceedingly 
sorry  for  what  happened.  It  was  only  after  you 
had  gone  that  I  realized  what  a  brute  I  had 
been.  I  must  have  been  mad.  But  I  thought 
I  was  going  to  be  turned  out  of  the  old  home,  and 
to  marry  Copley — pardon  me  for  alluding  to  it— 


HOME  AGAIN  309 

seemed  such  an  easy  way  out  of  my  difficulty. 
I  know  now  that  women  don't  regard  these  things 
from  the  same  standpoint  as  men  do  and,  of 
course,  I  believed  Copley  was  in  a  strong  position. 
I  regarded  him  as  honest  and  straightforward, 
otherwise " 

"  You  could  not  have  done  that,"  May  protested. 
"  How  could  you  ?  When  you  were  ready  to  fall 
in  with  his — but  I  won't  say  anything  about  that. 
All  that  is  past  and  done  with  for  ever.  As 
Harry  Fielden  said,  no  man  knows  how  weak  he 
is  till  he  is  face  to  face  with  a  great  temptation. 
It  is  enough  that  you  sincerely  regret  what  has 
happened.  As  for  me,  I  am  only  too  glad  to 
return  home  on  any  terms." 

"  You  overwhelm  me,"  Sir  George  murmured. 

"  Oh,  don't  feel  like  that,  I  implore  you.  But, 
tell  me,  what  difference  will  this  make  to  you  ? 
I  have  heard  about  the  strange  story  of  the  colt 
and  how  Harry  Fielden  stepped  in  to  prevent  dis- 
grace to  our  house.  But  that  does  not  alter  the 
fact  that  you  owe  Mr.  Copley  a  large  sum  of  money. 
I  suppose  it  will  have  to  be  paid  whether  he  is  con- 
victed or  not." 

"  Undoubtedly,"  Sir  George  answered.  "  But 
my  lawyer  says  it  will  be  some  time  before  I  am 
called  upon  to  pay  the  money.  I  had  a  long  inter- 
view with  him  this  morning.  Everybody  knows 
now  that  Raymond  Copley  is  no  millionaire  and 


310  HARD  PRESSED 

that  he  is  an  unscrupulous  adventurer  who  passed 
himself  off  as  a  wealthy  man  in  order  to  cany  out 
his  swindles.  From  a  telegram  I  have  just  received 
a  good  many  fresh  details  came  out  this  morning 
when  Copley  was  brought  up  at  Bow  Street.  The 
magistrate  has  refused  to  allow  bail,  but  it  will  be 
two  or  three  months  before  Copley  is  convicted,  and 
during  the  interval  some  of  his  creditors  are  sure 
to  make  him  bankrupt.  They  will  be  anxious  to 
rescue  some  of  the  plunder  and  there  are  probably 
several  thousand  pounds  in  the  bank  besides  all  the 
stuff  at  Seton  Manor  and  other  places.  It  will 
take  time  to  investigate  these  things,  and  possibly 
the  summer  will  be  over  before  the  Bankruptcy 
officials  ask  me  to  pay  this  money  to  Copley's 
estate.  Long  before  that  the  Blenheim  colt  will 
have  won  the  Derby." 

May  could  not  repress  a  smile. 

"  You  are  always  sanguine,"  she  said.  "  In  fact, 
if  you  hadn't  been  so  sanguine,  you  would  not  be 
in  your  present  position.  I  suppose  nobody  knows 
of  our  trouble." 

"  Only  Harry  Fielden,"  Sir  George  said  thank- 
fully. "  I  suppose,  we  shall  have  to  regard  him  as 
one  of  the  family,  though  what  he  is  going  to  live 
on  and  how  he  is  going  to  keep  you,  goodness  knows. 
I've  got  nothing." 

A  smile  crossed  May's  face. 

"  We   are   all   going   to   make   fortunes   out    of 


HOME  AGAIN  311 

the  colt,"  she  said.  "  If  you  are  so  sanguine, 
you  must  not  grudge  a  little  bit  of  a  similar 
spirit  to  us.  I  know  that  Harry  has  backed  the 
colt  for  all  he  is  worth.  It  is  very  dreadful  and 
wrong  and  extravagant,  but  Harry  tells  me  that 
this  will  be  the  last  time.  How  singular  that 
the  fortunes  of  two  families  should  depend  upon  a 
horse !  Only  think,  too,  that,  but  for  the  merest 
accident,  the  Blenheim  colt  would  not  be  in  the 
Derby  at  all.  That  makes  me  think  our  good 
fortune  is  to  continue.  I  don't  think  Fate  would 
play  us  a  low-down  trick.  It  is  impossible  that  the 
colt  has  been  saved  only  to  speed  us  to  ruin  at  the 
last.  But  I  don't  like  to  think  about  it.  I  shall 
be  in  a  fever  of  anxiety  from  now  till  May.  But 
I'll  try  to  be  calm.  I  must  realize  that  this  is  my 
last  bet." 

Sir  George  was  content  to  let  it  go  at  that.  He 
was  glad  to  have  his  daughter  back,  glad  to  think 
that  things  were  no  worse.  Fate,  too,  had  been  kind 
to  him,  for  he  had  preserved  his  name  and 
reputation.  He  had  lost  nothing  ;  indeed,  he  stood 
to  be  in  a  better  position  than  he  had  ever  yet  occu- 
pied. For  the  first  time  for  months  he  was  looking 
forward  to  his  dinner  with  gusto. 


CHAPTER   XLII 

FIRST  PAST  THE   POST 

THINGS  turned  out  much  as  Sir  George's  lawyer 
had  predicted.  After  several  adj ourned  hear- 
ings Copley  was  committed  for  trial,  together  with 
his  associates,  and  Aaron  Phillips  had  the  satisfac- 
tion of  giving  the  most  damning  evidence  against 
the  accused.  Of  Foster  nothing  whatever  had  been 
heard  and  it  was  assumed  he  had  got  safely  out 
of  the  country.  Copley's  trial  was  set  down  to 
take  place  in  June  and  in  the  meantime  some  of 
his  creditors  had  made  him  a  bankrupt.  The 
bubble  was  pricked.  Copley  had  nothing  to  gain 
by  keeping  up  the  pretence  of  being  a  man  of 
integrity  and  substance.  He  stood  out  now  un- 
abashed and  unashamed,  and  refused  to  give  any 
information  about  his  business  affairs.  Perhaps  he 
was  looking  forward  to  the  time,  some  years  hence, 
when  on  his  release  from  gaol  he  could  blackmail 
Sir  George  Haredale. 

But  Sir  George  had  already  taken  steps  to  obviate 
that.  He  had  learnt  his  lesson  and  was  not  likely 
to  put  himself  in  Copley's  power  again.  A  proper 


312 


FIRST  PAST  THE   POST  313 

statement  of  the  relationship  between  Copley  and 
himself  had  been  rendered  by  Sir  George's  lawyer 
and  ample  time  had  been  given  by  the  Bankruptcy 
officials  to  pay  the  debt.  Therefore  Sir  George 
could  look  forward  with  easy  mind  to  the  moment- 
ous event  at  Epsom. 

Everything  went  smoothly  and  Raffle  pronounced 
the  colt  as  fit  to  run  for  a  kingdom.  The  horse  was 
established  in  the  betting  once  more  and  at  that  mo- 
ment there  were  few  more  popular  men  in  England  than 
Sir  George  Haredale.  He  was  anxious,  of  course,  for 
so  much  depended  upon  what  was  to  take  place 
between  now  and  next  Wednesday,  and  Harry 
Fielden  was  not  very  far  from  the  spot ;  indeed, 
his  feelings  were  like  those  of  Sir  George.  His 
whole  fortune,  too,  depended  upon  the  running  of 
the  colt.  About  the  only  member  of  the  party 
who  was  not  unduly  anxious  was  RafHe  himself. 
He  went  about  his  business  with  a  knowing  smile 
and  refused  to  discuss  even  the  possibility  of 
defeat. 

"  Bless  you,  sir,"  he  said  to  Fielden  two  days 
before  the  race,  "  I  can't  see  what  you've  got  to  fret 
about.  The  race  is  in  our  pockets.  It  wouldn't 
do  to  disappoint  the  people  now,  for  Epsom  is 
Epsom.  But  that  colt  will  just  win  from  the  start. 
There  ain't  going  to  be  any  risks,  because  so  much 
depends  upon  it.  What  a  story  it  would  make,  Mr, 
Harry,  wouldn't  it  ?  " 


314  HARD  PRESSED 

Fielden  nodded.  They  were  standing  in  the 
Blenheim  colt's  stall  admiring  the  noble  animal, 
which  looked  fit  to  race  for  his  own  life.  There  was 
no  sign  of  staleness  about  him.  He  was  apparently 
trained  to  the  last  ounce  and,  as  Raffle  said,  his 
temper  was  perfect. 

"  He  won't  mind  the  crowd  and  the  horses,"  he 
said,  laying  his  hand  upon  the  colt's  glossy  neck. 
"  I  never  saw  such  a  tractable  animal.  It  is  a 
proud  day  for  me  to  live  to  see  the  Blenheim  blood 
doing  a  big  thing  like  this.  I  always  believed  in 
it,  sir,  though  we  had  a  good  many  failures.  I 
wonder  what  the  public  would  say  if  they  knew 
everything." 

"  They  are  not  in  the  least  likely  to  do  that," 
Fielden  laughed.  "  I  think  we  were  wise  to  keep 
the  whole  thing  to  ourselves.  It  is  just  as  well,  too, 
to  let  the  colt  run  as  Sir  George's  property.  At 
any  rate,  there's  no  harm  done  and  we  haven't 
broken  any  rules.  Besides,  it  is  all  in  the  family. 
What  are  your  plans  for  to-morrow,  Raffle  ?  If 
you  don't  mind,  I  will  go  to  Epsom  with  you. 
Sir  George  and  Miss  Haredale  can  follow  on  Wednes- 
day morning.  I  don't  want  to  lose  sight  of  the 
colt  if  I  can  help  it.  I  wish  Wednesday  was 
over." 

Raffle  highly  approved  the  suggestion,  so,  on 
the  morrow,  they  went  off  to  Epsom  with  the  colt. 
They  literally  slept  with  it  all  Tuesday  night.  The 


FIRST  PAST  THE  POST  315 

fateful  Wednesday  dawned  without  a  cloud  in  the 
sky  and  by  noon  the  Downs  were  crowded  with 
people.  For  the  most  part  they  meant  to  have  a 
holiday,  seeing  that  they  were  on  the  favourite  to 
a  man  and  that  the  chance  of  the  favourite  losing 
was  as  remote  as  a  racing  possibility  could  be. 
Shortly  after  two  o'clock  Fielden  left  the  paddock 
and  went  to  join  Sir  George  and  May  and  Miss 
Garden. 

"  I  hope  all  is  well,"  May  whispered. 

"  It  couldn't  be  better,"  Fielden  said.  "  Another 
hour  and  you  will  be  out  of  your  misery.  The  colt 
looks  as  fine  as  a  star.  We  are  having  him  saddled 
at  the  top  end  of  the  course  so  that  he  won't  be 
actually  seen  till  he  is  ready  for  the  start.  It  will 
be  a  popular  victory,  May." 

"  Oh,  yes,"  May  said  nervously.  "  I  suppose 
it  will.  I  don't  know  when  I  felt  so  anxious.  I  was 
looking  forward  to  enjoying  this  race,  but  I  don't 
think  I  shall.  I  envy  you,  Harry.  How  can  you 
keep  so  cool ?  " 

Fielden  smiled.  In  fact,  he  was  anything  but  cool. 
He  looked  confident  but,  at  the  same  time,  he  was 
conscious  of  a  dryness  in  his  throat  and  of  the  quicker 
beating  of  his  heart  as  he  weighed  the  possibilities 
which  the  next  hour  held  for  him  and  the  party  from 
Haredale  Park.  At  that  moment  he  possessed  prac- 
tically nothing.  If  by  any  untoward  fate  the  horse 
lost  he  would  be  as  poor  as  he  was  before,  and  his 


316  HARD  PRESSED 

marriage  with  May  would  be  indefinitely  post- 
poned. In  case  of  this  disaster  Sir  George  would 
have  to  sell  everything  to  pay  his  mortgages  and 
the  money  he  owed  to  Copley's  estate.  He  would 
have  to  spend  the  rest  of  his  days  in  humble  lodgings. 
There  would  be  an  end  to  the  glories  of  Haredale. 

But  if  the  horse  won  !  So  much  depended  upon 
those  four  feet,  upon  those  wonderful  staying  powers 
of  which  Raffle  had  so  frequently  boasted.  Hitherto 
there  had  always  been  a  weak  spot  in  the  Blenheim 
blood  and  it  might  crop  up  at  the  very  moment 
when  so  much  depended  upon  bone  and  muscle 
and  sinew. 

And  if  everything  did  go  well,  why,  then,  Sir 
George  Haredale  would  be  a  rich  man  again.  Fielden 
would  have  more  than  he  ever  possessed  before  and 
the  tarnished  glory  of  the  family  would  be  restored. 
As  he  stood,  quiet  and  reserved,  he  did  not  look 
like  a  man  to  whom  the  next  half-hour  meant  so 
much.  But  he  thought  that  half-hour  would  never 
be  over. 

The  minutes  wore  on  nevertheless.  The  roar  and 
fret  and  murmur  of  the  crowd  at  last  died  down 
and  the  long  winding  ribbon  of  turf  between  the 
masses  of  people  began  to  manifest  itself.  The  gay 
kaleidoscope  of  colour  gradually  drifted  into  a  ragged 
line  at  the  post.  Then  a  hoarse  roar  broke  out  again. 

"They're  off  !"  May  whispered,  clutching  Fielden 
frantically  by  the  anil.  "  You  must  tell  me  how 


FIRST  PAST  THE  POST  317 

the  race  is  going.  Positively,  I  haven't  the  courage 
to  look." 

Fielden  did  not  hear  a  word  she  said.  He  had  no 
consciousness  of  those  tense  nervous  fingers  on 
his  arm.  He  stood  like  a  statue  with  his  racing 
glasses  glued  to  his  eyes.  He  watched  the  streaming 
glow  of  colours  rigidly,  until,  presently,  it  seemed  to 
him  that  one  horse  came  floating  easily  and  grace- 
fully apart  from  the  rest  and  then  his  heart  began 
to  sing  within  him.  They  came  in  much  the  same 
order  round  Tattenham  Corner.  Then  the  roar 
intensified  till  everything  seemed  to  shake  and  rock, 
and  Fielden  trembled  and  could  not  see  through 
his  glasses.  When  he  finally  adjusted  them  to  his 
satisfaction,  he  was  conscious  of  a  still  deeper 
shout  of  gratification  from  the  multitude.  Then,  as 
if  in  response  to  the  ringing  cheers,  the  Blenheim 
colt  drew  almost  imperceptibly  away  from  the 
ruck  of  horses  and  passed  the  winning-post  a 
good  half  length  ahead.  The  Derby  was  ancient 
history  now.  The  Blenheim  colt  had  won  this 
classic  race  and  a  score  or  two  of  old  friends 
were  gathering  round  Sir  George  to  shake  him  by 
the  hand.  The  victory  was  all  the  more  popular 
because  ninety-nine  out  of  every  hundred  spectators 
had  backed  the  winner. 

Fielden  closed  his  glasses  with  a  snap.  He  was 
conscious  now  that  May  was  clinging  to  his  arm  and 
that  she  was  swaying  backwards  and  forwards 


3i8  HARD   PRESSED 

ominously.  It  was  only  for  a  few  moments,  how- 
ever, and  then  a  slight  smile  trembled  on  her 
lips. 

"  Take  me  away  from  here  for  a  while,"  she 
whispered.  "  Let  us  take  a  walk  on  the  course. 
Do  you  know,  I  feel  as  if  I  could  enjoy  a  turn  on 
a  roundabout.  I  could  even  shy  for  cocoanuts.  And 
only  two  or  three  minutes  ago  I  felt  as  if  I  were 
going  to  faint.  I  never  saw  a  yard  of  the  race.  If 
I  had  looked  up  I  should  have  collapsed.  I  guessed 
how  things  were  going  only  by  the  cheers  of  the 
crowd.  I  knew  by  that  exultant  roar  that  the  colt 
was  winning.  But  I  don't  want  to  go  through  it 
again,  Harry,  I  have  had  enough.  Now  that  we 
have  all  made  fortunes,  it  will  be  so  good  to  be  at 
home  again  and  feel  that  everything  there  actually 
belongs  to  us.  Some  of  my  father's  old  friends 
want  us  to  dine  in  London.  But  I  would  far  rather 
go  home.  You  must  back  me  up." 

But  Sir  George  wanted  no  particular  backing. 
Tried  sportsman  as  he  was,  the  strain  had  told 
upon  him  and  he  was  glad,  so  he  said,  to  find  himself 
once  more  in  a  comfortable  corner  of  a  railway  car- 
riage on  his  way  to  Haredale.  It  was  a  lovely 
evening,  too,  and  the  face  of  the  old  house  was 
bathed  in  sunshine. 

"  It  is  smiling  a  welcome  to  us,"  May  said.  "  To 
think  that  it  is  absolutely  our  own  !  I  hope  we 
have  done  with  gambling  for  ever." 


FIRST  PAST  THE  POST  319 

"  I  have  finished  with  it  for  good,"  replied  Harry. 
"  I  have  won  a  fortune  and  a  wife  on  the  same  day, 
and  that  is  more  luck  than  most  men  gain  on  the 
course.  If  you  are  happy,  darling,  what  more 
do  I  need  ?  " 


THE  END 


BY 

HAITI  ED.  BOH  ANNON 

I2mo  Cloth  -  $1.00  net 

* .  .  This  story  of  the  South  moves  along  its 
pleasing  way  with  just  enough  of  the  spice  of  life  to 
make  it  truly  interesting.  .  .  .  Robert  March,  the 
boy,  is  one  of  the  most  lovable  characters  of  the  story. 
His  struggles  with  himself  and  his  final  development 
into  a  man  of  tempered  iron  make  the  best  part  of  the 
book.  The  scene  is  laid  in  Eastern  Texas,  a  part  of  the 
South  which  has  been  but  little  used  by  novelists." 

— Minneapolis  Tribune. 

"The  old,  old  story  of  sin  and  its  consequences;  bit- 
ter remorse  and  long  years  of  struggle  to  repair  a 
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real  merit  of  the  book  lies  in  the  graphic,  heart-absorb- 
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the  boy,  one  strong  through  suffering  and  the  bitter 
knowledge  of  sin,  the  other  weak  and  stumbling,  scarce 
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them  both  to  the  end  with  interest."  — The  Focus. 

"Here  is  a  book  of  solid  merit  that  deserves  more 
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but  because  they  are  interesting  civilized  men  and 
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"Simplicity  and  dignity  characterize  this  first  book 
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characters  vivid  and  forceful."  — Detroit  Free  Press. 


A  Drama  in  Sunshine 

By  HORACE  ANNESLEY  VACHELL 

Author  of  "Brothers,"  "Her Son,"  Etc.,  Etc. 

SOUTHERN  California— the  land  of  Howers  and 
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When  his  fortune  is  made,  the  man  discovers  that  the 
simple,  whole-hearted  little  woman,  who  has  been  his 
great  support  and  incentive  in  the  struggle,  is  no  longer 
his  ideal;  and  she  discovers  that  the  successful  man, 
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disadvantages  he  found  in  her  sympathy  and  quiet  sim- 
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He  turns  his  affection  upon  a  brilliant,  vivacious, 
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strain  of  Casn'lian  blood  changing  her  love  to  hate,  the  wife 
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subject  is  certainly  a  bad  one.  Ignorance  is  one  of 
the  worst  mind  conditions  that  can  obtain.  Lack 
of  instruction  is  the  prime  cause  of  ignorance. 
There  is  no  reason  for  that  condition  to  obtain, 
as  these  cheap  books  provide  the  necessary  infor- 
mation in  a  splendid  form,  and  are  being  well 
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R.  F.  FENNO  &  COMPANY 
YORK: 


of  innocence 

By  ARTHUR  J.  WESTERMAYR 

In  Francesca  we  have  a  character  unusual  in  modern 
fiction.  She  is  a  Venetian  by  birth  ;  raised  in  the  slums  of 
the  back  streets  of  Venice,  she  i;  taken  from  an  artist's 
studio,  where  she  has  posed  as  a  child  model,  by  a  student 
of  heredity,  for  the  purpose  of  experiment,  by  whom  she  ia 
placed  in  refined  and  elevating  environment.  Though  of 
evil  parentage  she  grows  to  womanhood  gracefully,  and  her 
beauty  of  form  and  feature  is  not  less  remarkable  and  striking 
than  that  of  her  moral  character.  An  evil  deed,  committed 
without  her  fault,  tears  her  away  from  her  pleasant  sur- 
roundings, and  when  next  we  meet  her  she  is  in  Munich, 
the  great  art  center  of  Europe,  where  she  becomes  acquainted 
with  William  Blake,  an  American  artist,  for  whose  painting 
"Power  of  Innocence"  she  poses,  thereby  bringing  him 
fame  and  fortune.  Their  love  is  overshadowed  by  Fran- 
cesca's  wrong,  and  after  passing  through  a  terrible  ordeal, 
she  rises  above  selfishness  and  makes  the  supreme  sacrifice. 
Her  life  and  character  are  a  final  refutation  of  crime  by 
heredity. 

The  character  of  Helen,  the  childhood  playmate  of  the 
artist,  is  developed  unconventionally  and  along  untried  lines, 
and  affords  a  psychological  undercurrent  whose  worth  as  a 
contribution  to  the  whole  theme  cannot  be  overestimated. 
To  prove  that  one  may  love  and  yet  not  know  it  until  a 
crucial  event  brings  consciousness  of  its  existence,  is  the 
purpose  of  this  uncommon  character. 

In  lighter  vein,  yet  with  touches  of  pathos  which  win  our 
sympathies  at  once,  is  drawn  Raymond  Sylvester,  the  self- 
constituted  cynic,  who  thinks  himself  cold-blooded  and  hard- 
hearted, but  who  is  in  fact  a  warm-hearted,  generous  friend 
and  typical  Englishman. 

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BOOKS  by 
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As  a  Man  Thinketh 
Out  from  the  Heart 
The  Heavenly  Life 
Entering  the  Kingdom 
The  Way  of  Peace 
The  Path  of  Prosperity 
Through  the  Gate  of  Good 

Morning  and  Evening 
Thoughts 

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The  Life  Triumphant 

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"The  Triumph  of  Truth" 


OR 


The  Doom  of  Dogma 

By  HENRY  FRANK 


"  It  may  be  doubted  if  even  such  eloquence  and  erudition  as  are  here 
displayed  can  inflict  a  heavier  blow  at  religious  dogma  than  has  already 
been  struck  by  popular  rejection.  None  the  less,  the  book  is  a  welcome 
one,  though  it  do  no  more  than  slay  the  slain.  The  author's  conclusion* 
are  those  generally  reached  by  students  who  combine  a  knowledge  of 
comparative  religion  with  the  power  of  unbiased  and  critical  judgment, 
lit  finds  tint  Christianity  contains  nothing  distinguishable, save  in  local 
coloring,  from  the  religions  that  preceded  it,  and  that  all  religion,  as  all 
thought,  is  kindred,  ft  must  not  be  supposed,  however,  that  the  author 
is  iconoclastic.  He  believes,  and.  rightly,  that  Christianity  has  every- 
thing to  gain  and  nothing  to  lose'  from  such  association,  and  thai  he  is 
rendering  it  a  great  constructive  service  by  showing  that  it  is  an  integral 
pSrt  of  a  human  aspiration  at  all  times  co-extensive  with  the  race.  The 
book  is  reverential  in  tone  and  is  a  valued  contribution  to  current  con- 
troversy." -Sun  Francisco  A  rgonaal. 

"  The  criticism  in  this  work  is  fertile  and  extreme.  It  is  the  fruit  of 
much  thoughtfulness  and  patient  labor.  It  gives  a  great  variety  of  critic- 
isms against  traditional  beliefs.  It  is  a  book  that  expresses  a  very 
elrnest  phase  of  individual  life." — The  Dial.  Chicago.  III. 

"  This  book  will  receive  a  wide  welcome  and  will  be  greatly  enjoyed. 
It  will  be  indispensable  to  the  student  of  theology  and  should  be  in  every 
public  library.  It  Is  an  epoch-marking  if  not  an  epoch-making  work.  It 
voices  a  sentiment  long  felt  by  earnest  souls,  but  never  before  so  fully 
and  vigorously."—  The  Transcript,  Button,  Matt.  <, 

" '  The  Triumph  of  Truth '  is  an  interesting  work  as  showing  the 
crisis  the  author  himself  came  through,  true  to  the  impulses  of  religion. 
Shows  the  way,  on  the  principles  of  Walt  Whitman,  of  a  God  who  em- 
braces in  himself  all  differences  and  all  opposites,  and  whom  roan  dis- 
covers as  he  discovers  himself."—  The  Athenaeum,  London,  England. 


400  pages,  gilt  top,  $1.50,  post-paid 

R.  F.  FENNO  &  CO.,    -    New  York 


000133615     5 


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SOUTHERN  REGIONAL  LIBRARY  FACILITY 

Return  this  material  to  the  library 

from  which  it  was  borrowed. 


PK'D  LCMW 

JAN  15 1990 

UDV  1  5    "* 


